Please, Remember
by AllroundNewsie
Summary: I renewed chapter 12...so all of you who gave me reviews for it...thank you. and tell me if you like it better. 14 will be up sooon.
1. The Rich and Powerful

All the characters in the story are disney's. I did not make them and I don't intend to steal them. The story, on the other hand is mine! So Don't steal it. I wanna respect all the rights of whatever so make sure you tell me when im doing something wrong.

AND RESPONDD TO MY STORIES PLEASSEEE

**Please Remember**

Chapter 1

The Rich and the Powerful

"Stop it! That is not true at all! I don't even like him." Kandice McClane screamed in her bedroom on Friday afternoon at her dad's large three-story mansion in Ohio.

"Oh, yes it is! You kissed him, didn't you?" replied Elizabeth Pilenski, Kandices' best friend from St. Pauls School for Girls. "I won't tell anyone you kissed **Mark Hawkins**, you can just admit it."

"NO I DIDN'T! I would _never_!" With a slight smirk on her face, Kandice went back to writing her US History report. After a short pause, she turned back to her friend smiling. "Ok, maybe I did, but I was in the moment-" She trailed off, looking atElizabeth with sympathetic eyes searching for a genuine reaction, butElizabeth just stared at her with her mouth wide open "What was I supposed to do? He's Gorgeous!"

The two girls giggled loudly while the radio played midnight tunes. Kandice andElizabeth had been best friends since Elementary School, meeting in first grade whenElizabeth moved from Michigan for her dad's new Job as a Hotel Manager. The girls were both pretty well off and never had to worry about money.

As juniors in High School, they were starting to look at Colleges. Not just ordinary colleges, but top-notch colleges. Kandice was looking at The University of Texas, whileElizabeth was looking at Notre Dame. (Remember it's the 1920's)

Not only did the girls get on the honor roll every year, but they were two of the best-looking girls in their school. Kandice, the brunette in the friendship, had light blonde highlights in her hair that made her more of a dirty blonde. With her hazel eyes, from her mother, it was a given that she would be voted "best eyes" in her senior class yearbook. Her mother moved to New York to work at some Factories around the area. Her mother hated living the rich life and wanted to live closer to her parents. Her father stayed in Ohio so that they could live a more wealthy life without their mother. He felt that she was a bad influence on Kandice and didn't want anything more to do with her. Another attribute Kandice had acquired from her mother was the ability to sing beautifully. She had the most relaxing, comforting voice you could imagine and her favorite song to sing was a lullaby her mother had sung to her before she left. Her mother was also beautiful from what she remembered, which wasn't much.

Elizabeth'shair was more of a strawberry color. She didn't like highlights because she thought they made her look too girly. She was slightly more boyish than Kandice was, although they both loved getting together after school and painting their nails. Elizabeth was a very good dancer. She danced whenever she had the chance and got private lessons from her cousin who would swing dance in competitions. She had a little more of a bulkiness to her that made her look very petite and athletic. She had crystal blue eyes and a beautifully full, white smile. Her boobs had grown a whole cup size since freshman year and because of it, she had gotten a lot of attention from the jockey, popular guys in school.

The girls didn't have boyfriends, but they were known by every male in the school. Kandice was more careful thanElizabeth was. Unlike Kandice, Elizabeth was not a virgin. She lost it to a guy she _thought_ she loved and she thought loved her in return. She never forgave him for leaving her for a new, big chested, okay-looking sophomore earlier in the beginning of the year.

"I say we go out to the little get together Mike's havin tomorrow night" Kandice said with her legs rocking back and forth. "Wouldn't that be so much fun?"

"Yeah, I was thinkin of going to there myself, we can go together" Replied Elizabeth. "I wonder what you guys are gonna doooo"

Turning bright red, Kandice threw her pink and white, fluffy, heart pillow at her from her "princess bed" as she called it. She had the comforter since she was little and it was still has pink and princessy as ever. The girls joked and giggled the rest of the night until they finally drifted off to sleep.

The next morning was very exciting. It was saturday morning, so there wasn't any school for the girls and they were going to go to one of the most popular parties of the year! Kandice got up and walked over to the mirror and laughed at herself. Her face was covered with chocolate from the night before.

"Uhhh" Kandice reacted when she felt her stomach gurgling. "I feel so sick from all that chocolate we had last night Elizabeth." She looked back at Elizabeth who was still sleeping. Kandice sighed and went into the bathroom to take a nice bath. When she went inside she felt even sicker then ever. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and felt disgusted. She took a deep breath and stepped back from the mirror. She then walked over to the toilet, bent down in front of it, and stuck her fingers down her throat over her and over until finally she threw up. She felt a lot better as she flushed the toilet and cleaned up behind her.

Elizabeth awoke to a noise outside the bedroom. She got up slowly and tiredly, walking over to the bathroom to curiously see what had caused her to wake up. She walked down the long hallway and arrived at the closed bathroom door.

"Kandice?" Elizabeth knocked on the door twice and listened for a reply. "Kandice, are you in there?"

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute!" Kandice called out the door as she scrambled to get everything straightened out. She then opened the door to see a confused Elizabeth staring at her. Elizabeth went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

"Well we should probably get ready for the party. It starts in a couple of hours." Elizabeth examined herself in the mirror, fixing her bed hair and washing her face. Kandice left the bathroom and went back into her room, where she saw her huge selection of dresses and shoes in her closet. Kandice pulled out a beautiful, aqua colored, floor-length dress with sheer net sleeves and a v-neck top. It had a beautiful aqua silk sash around the waste that tied in a bow in the back. She, then, pulled out a pair of t-strap aqua suede heels.

Elizabeth entered the room, looked at the dress and gasped. "Wow! That dress is beautiful. Where did you find it?"She asked.

"My mother got it for me a long time ago. I only wear it on special occasions." Replied Kandice, looking at the dress and fixing small wrinkles that were on it.

"My dress isn't even half as nice as that one. Now I feel so underdressed." Elizabeth jealously said frowning at her own dress. "But I guess you have to look nice for Mark."

Kandices' mouth dropped open and she then took a pillow and started hittingElizabeth with it. Elizabeth picked up her pillow for the start of an enormous pillow fight, leaving feathers flying everywhere. By the end of the pillow fight, the room was a mess. The girls fell down on the floor from exhaustion laughing uncontrollably and breathing heavily.

A couple of hours had passed and the girls were getting ready for the party. They both had their dresses on and were fixing their hair, their anxiousness getting the best of them. Kandice had her hair in beautiful curls and clipped back with two diamond-covered clips. She had her new rose red lipstick and pink blush to finish it off.

Elizabeth had her hair up in a beautifully kept bun on top of her head and had one single curl hanging down on the side. She had used Kandice's new lipstick and put on some green eye shadow.

"This is going to be so much fun!" squealed Elizabeth as they both added their finishing touches to their face. They grabbed hands and started jumping up and down with excitement. "And no matter what happens, we have to promise we'll be friends forever. Okay?"

"Okay"

Time for the party!

Tell me what you think…write to me! The second chapter is coming out veryyy soon so keep an eye out for it. But write to me and give me new things to write about or just to say hey!


	2. I think I love you

Chapter 2

I Think.. I love you

It was the big day for the party and the girls were ready. After putting on their fancy dresses and preparing themselves for the big night, they went down Kandice's big marble stairs to the huge lobby that filled up the whole front of the house. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling with beautiful diamonds and crystals hanging off of it, the light bouncing off and making patterns and designs all over the room. It was well lit from the large glass dome on the top of the room and the large glass windows in the front. The lobby led right into the kitchen where the girls met up with Mr. McClane.

"Hello daddy. Elizabeth and I are going to be leaving for the Hawkins' party very shortly. May we use the new chariot we have received?"

"Nonsense! Mary will take you. Mary!" Mr. McClane screamed at the top of his lungs. Mary, the house maid and mother figure to Kandice for years, came running down the stairs with an apron on and a feather duster in her hand. She had golden brown hair and was a very beautiful woman. She had a husband who died from a very rare sickness and she has never been quite the same since then. Kandice would sometimes catch her crying and looking at her husband's picture in her room upstairs. She felt bad and wanted to help most of the time, but knew that it would only make things worse. Mary stopped at the bottom of the stairs and smiled.

"Yes sir" She said panting.

"Get these girls to the Hawkins party up the road." Mr McClane said smiling at Mary with sarcasm. He then leaned forward and whispered, "It's their first."

Mary smiled and winked at him. "Of course I will Mr. McClane. Ladies, come with me." She clapped her hands twice and started walking out the tall, golden doorway leading outside. "William! Williiaam!" Mary called, looking around.

Suddenly, a tall, skinny man came trudging up the road in a beautifully furnished chariot. Elizabeth's eyes lit up as she ran to get in. "You got a new one!" Elizabeth squealed.

"Yes, do you like it?" Kandice took William's hand and walked into the carriage after Elizabeth. "Thank you William."

"It's my pleasure, Ms. McClane." William smiled and added a slight head bow. He then bobbed slowly to the front of the carriage and took the girls on the road, waving to Mary as they rode further and further from the house.

The girls looked out the carriage window and squealed a second time, just thinking about how much fun the party would be.

"Is my hair ok?" Kandice asked.

"Yes, Yes it's fine!" Elizabeth answered then looked out the window. After a couple of seconds, Elizabeth looked back at Kandice. "What about mine?"

The girls giggled and fixed each others hair until it was perfect for their first big night at the Hawkins'.

"Why do you talk so proper when you're around your father" Elizabeth asked genuinely interested in how she can change so drastically.

"I always do. It's just so he doesn't suspect anything, you know?" Kandice explained. "He brought me up like that, I guess."

Elizabeth nodded and smirked at her friend and looked out the window. After a while of silence and anxiousness, the carriage was beginning to come to a slow stop and the girls heard the horses' hooves clomping on the stone road. The girls looked at each other one last time and gave each other an enormous hug.

"Ready?" Kandice asked, smoothing out her dress and fixing little pieces of straggling hair.

"Yea" Elizabeth answered nervously.

The girls got out of the carriage and thanked William for the ride. They looked up at the 4-story mansion and sighed. They went in the large front door and were greeted by the servants standing inside.

"Good evening ladies." One of the servants politely said, taking Kandices' jacket. She had a beautiful black sweater that went over her aqua dress. Kandice smiled at the man and looked around the big lobby that everyone was in. There was music playing from a band on the stage and some couples were dancing out on the floor. There were a couple of tables in the back of the room filled with all kinds of finger foods. The girls heard someone announce that dinner would be served shortly.

"Ohh I wonder what's for dinner" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I bet it's _French_ or something."

The girls looked around for people they knew, but saw no one. The people were all too rich and from other states to even want to come close to two small girls.

"Hello Elizabeth" Elizabeth turned around from talking to Kandice and came face to face with her ex-boyfriend who had dumped her earlier in the year. They had been in love once before and then he left her for another girl. She was still not completely over it.

His name was Timothy Johnson and he had light blond hair. It was short, but long enough to slick down and look good. His light brown eyes were very striking and made you want to look in them all night. He smiled his full, rich smile and looked her up and down.

"You look...great tonight." he said still eyeing her in her dress. The dress made her look even more curvy and athletic then ever. She smiled at the compliment and looked at the dress on her. She had to admit, she looked really good.

"Thanks Tim" she giggled and looked at his eyes.

"Wanna dance?" He asked politely grabbing her hand and kissing it.

She smiled her big panic smile and looked back at Kandice. "Kandice, would you mind?" She asked.

"No, not at all. Go right ahead. I'll just be sitting here alone doing noth-"

"Thanks" Elizabeth cut her off and ran to the dance floor with Tim. Kandice rolled her eyes and sighed, sitting down at the nicely lit and clothed table. She picked up the flowers that we rapped around the napkins and smelt them, looking around with dismay. She stopped suddenly when she saw _him_. There was Mark Hawkins standing with a couple of his friends. He had his suit coat off so that he only had his white collard shirt with a tie and suit pants. He was so attractive. Just as Kandice was staring at him, he looked over at her and smiled. He said something to one of his friends and started walking over to Kandice with his very sexy walk that Kandice loved so much.

"Hey, Kandice." he said when he finally got over to her. He sat down next to her at the table and looked at her dress. It really made her chest look good and a lot bigger than usual. Mark had the most beautiful green eyes you could ever imagine. They were strikingly handsome and it reminded her why she kissed him in the first place.

She blushed and smiled back at him. "Hi, Mark. It's a beautiful party, really. Tell your father 'thank you for the invite'. It's absolutely radiant."

"Thanks. I knew you'd like it. That's why I invited you, you know." He looked down at the ground with the most gorgeous smirk on his face.

"_You_ invited me? Oh Mark your so sweet, thank you!" She said, giving him a big hug. "Why did you invite _me_?"

"Well" he said. "Because I wanted to see you. You left so quickly the last time I saw you, I just wanted to see how you were doing." He smiled and looked at her with his comforting eyes. "Wanna go somewhere where we can talk?"

Kandice smiled. "I thought you would never ask." She laughed and got up allowing her dress to slowly slide down around her ankles to the floor. She looked even better standing up. The dress was tight, but not so tight that it was unflattering. It was actually the most flattering dress she had in her wardrobe.

Mark watched her as she got out of her seat. He had never seen anything so beautiful before. She looked gorgeous tonight and he didn't want to spoil that. "_Wow she's beautiful" _he thought to himself as he headed for the stairs with her.

Elizabeth ran to the dance floor with Tim and at that moment didn't even think about what happened between them. All she knew is that she still loved this great guy that she once had. But that just made her want him even more than she did. He took her hand and rapped his other hand around her waist and they started dancing slowly and gracefully.

Elizabeth looked at his outfit, "You like great, Tim. Really, you do." She smiled at him with her caring, sweet smile that she only gave when she wanted something badly. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a white shirt and gold cuff links on his sleeves. His hair was slicked back in the way that only a few guys can pull off and his eyes…his eyes were amazing.

"As do you, Elizabeth. Why did I stop calling you Liz? Do you remember?" He looked into her eyes right back, almost hypnotized.

She blushed and put her head on his shoulder, putting her other gloved hand gently on his back. "No, I don't. Would be it be so bad if you started calling me that again?" She quenched her eyes waiting for his reaction.

"No, I suppose it wouldn't. In fact, I would actually prefer it over Elizabeth." He rubbed her back slightly so only she could feel him on her. She loved when he touched her. It was like a new feeling all over again. Like your first kiss, or your first steps, it was incredible. She felt safe there, being held by the one guy that took her virginity and she would always love.

"Tim…I don't know if you knew this, but I loved you." She took her head off of his shoulder and looked up at him. The most vulnerable she had ever been in that situation even though she looked beautiful. She had on her black dress that hung off the shoulders and had two sashes hanging off both sides of the dress that made it swish on the floor very elegantly. She had a big chest in the first place and it made them look even better.

He looked back down at her, afraid of what to say. Afraid that he might hurt her. "I…know you did. And don't get me wrong, I was absolutely taken by you, I just…wasn't sure if I was ready to say it yet, you know? I got scared when you told me and I ran off."

"You got SCARED? **That's **your explanation for leaving me and going out with some disgustingly big-chested little girl?" She started getting louder, making people's heads turn and the band start quieting down.

Tim looked around getting nervous, "Well, I…I" He stuttered, not knowing what to say.

"I can't believe this" Liz interrupted. "I don't even know why I came tonight. This is a joke and you, Timothy Johnson are a joke!" She began to cry "And…And" She burst out in tears and ran out of the lobby into the courtyard picking up her dress as she ran. Everyone was quiet for a minute and looked at Tim. He nervously smiled, blushing, and ran outside after her.

Kandice was escorted up the stairs by Mark, being the true gentlemen she always remembered. She was smiling while she looked down at all the guests dancing in the magnificently large room and watched as Elizabeth danced with her head on Tim's shoulder. She sighed with utter bliss and then looked back at Mark. "This is such a wonderful night, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. And you look wonderful too." He smiled looking at her in her dress again. He truly could not get over how good she looked tonight. They got upstairs and went down a long hallway with 10 or 20 doors all along the sides. His house was huge! He brought her all the way down the hall to the last door on the right and he smiled back at her. "This is my room. Do you mind? I don't want you to feel at all uncomfortable."

"No, I trust you Mark." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, blushing.

They went into his room and it was so nice. It had a large king-sized bed with a desk and a chair on one the right side. He had a large radio right next to the desk and a full-length mirror next to his night stand near is bed. He had pictures up of his favorite singers and bands and his closet was filled with custom-made suits and shoes. Wow! What a room.

Kandice stepped inside and looked around at all the pictures. She loved the room and she liked a lot of the same artists he liked. This reminded her of the time when they first kissed at her house. He came into her room, just as she had his, and looked around at all her things. She was so nervous and wondering what he thought of all her things. She expected her felt the same with her. "Wow, you have a lot of nice things in here. I love everything in here. I have the same radio as you!" she giggled and slightly blushed.

"Do you? Well that's a cause for celebration!" he laughed taking out two glasses and Champaign out of the cabinet in his room. "Champaign?" He asked her raising the glasses and placing them on his night stand. He poured himself some and then poured a little for Kandice.

She walked over to the nightstand, took the Champaign from him and smiled. "Thank you" she said, sitting down next to him on the bed. Her heart started pounding and her palms started getting sweaty. She looked around the room again, trying to avoid looking at him at all costs. She could feel him looking at her and his breath on the back of her neck. She wanted him more than ever right then. Suddenly, she felt his warm, soft hand gently touch her shoulder followed by a loud scream from downstairs. She gasped and jumped up from the bed looking at him.

"I'm sorry; I was just trying to get your attention." He said rather embarrassed and confused.

"No, no it wasn't you. It was that scream coming from downstairs, did you hear that?" She said looking at the door shocked.

"Oh _that_ always happens at these parties. People start getting drunk and start screaming it's honestly very normal, I promise you." He said very confidently, like he had been explaining it to a lot of people. He smiled at her and looked down again, his green eyes looking sad and shy.

"I'm sorry, it's me. I'm just really jumpy right now. I don't know why." She sat back down cautiously, trying not to make the wrong move to make her look bad. "But if you'd like, you can try that again." She looked up at him and smiled sheepishly.

He stared at her longingly and lustfully. _"I can't help myself. If she only knew how much I love her!"_ He thought. He put her hand on her face this time and she closed her eyes at his touch. It was so gentle and sweet she couldn't handle it. She rubbed her face in his hand and put her hand over it. He slowly leaned in, looking at her lips and the suspense of it made him die. Suddenly, their lips touched and it was so amazing. The way Kandice loved to be kissed. Softly and gently. It was like everything was happening all at once. And she loved it. She put her hand on his neck and they started getting deeper into the kiss. She felt herself start to lower down on the bed and suddenly she was lying down with him kissing. It was so romantic. He started running his fingers through her soft curls and he stopped kissing her looking at her with his gorgeous eyes. "Kandice," he said. "I think..I love you." Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door and quickly jumped up fixing themselves. Mark raced around put the Champaign back in the cabinet as quickly as he could. "Come in!" he secretly laughed with Kandice at their craziness and the door started to open.

Elizabeth went out the courtyard doors and kept running holding her dress. She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't care, she just kept running. Her eyes were flowing with tears streaming down her face.

"Liz! Liz, please stop!" Tim yelled after her, running as fast as he could to catch up. Liz didn't turn around, but ran for no where in particular. She felt someone grab her and she screamed before a hand covered her mouth. Tim turned her around and quieted her down. Breathing heavily, the both of them just stared at each other. Liz was so angry; she could slap him, but she knew it wasn't right. "Why did you run away like that?"

"You're a jerk and I hate you!" She screamed still extremely upset. She turned away from him and wiped her eyes a little. She turned back to face him and he wiped the rest away and rubbed her cheek.

"Please don't say that. I just wanted to give you the truth to why I left you, but I realized what I lost now and I don't want to lose it again. Please, Liz, listen to me-" he stopped and looked into her eyes trying to get her to calm down.

"Truth? The TRUTH! You inconsiderate pest!" She screamed. Suddenly, without warning, she slapped him across the face as hard as she could, leaving a big, red hand mark. Tears were still falling down her face.She escaped out of his grasp and began to run even faster toward her house.

The door slowly began to open in Mark's bedroom to reveal his butler, Thomas. Kandice let out a big sigh. "Excuse me Miss McClane, Mr. Hawkins. I'm afraid I have some urgent news for Ms. McClane. Your father.." Kandice suddenly glanced over at Thomas and listened intently. Mark did the same. "Your father has had a heart attack and is on his way to the infirmary. Mary has just phoned in saying to get home immediately. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience" He slightly gave a head bow and closed the door gently behind him.

Kandice had tears welling up in her eyes and she fell to the floor. Mark rushed over and held her in his arms. "It's ok. It's going to be ok Kandice, just wait." He told her over and over again. She was sobbing so much and he couldn't help but be scared himself. He didn't know if her father would be ok after all.

After he calmed her down, he kissed her cheek and turned her around. "You have to listen to me ok? Just focus on me. We need to go to the hospital and find out what happened to your dad, alright? Kandice?"

She looked so helpless and limp, but she got up the strength to nod her head. He helped her up and they ran out the door of his room.

This was going to be some night.

Respond respond respond...thats all I have to say! MHHMM. Tell me what you like, what you dont like blah blah blah.


	3. Can This Be Happening?

Chapter 3

Could This Be Happening?

Kandice and Mark ran as fast as they could back to her house. Their chests were screaming for air. In her dress, Kandice could hardly move, let alone run as fast as she was, but she didn't care. This was her fathers' life on the line and she had to be there for him. Even if it meant life or death, but she didn't want to think about that right now.

"Mark!" she panted trying to catch her breath. She slowed down a little and started getting behind.She took of her suede heels and felt her bare feet touch the cold stone street. It made her shiver while Mark went back, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along.

"We _have_to get there Kandice. Come on!" He motivated, getting her to catch up again. She could see her house in the distance. It was slowly getting closer and closer almost like she could touch its warm, safe feeling. It was somewhere she could always run to if she was ever lost or alone. She'd lived there since she was little and she never thought of anywhere else to go if she needed help. William was waiting for them in the front when they arrived. He looked at Kandice with sympathetic eyes and smiled lightly.

"Hello Ms. McCane, Mr. Hawkins" He helped Kandice up the stairs and into the front doors. "I assure you, your father will be fine. Just have faith." She was looking at William and believed every word he said, but somehow, tears started welling up her eyes and she began to crumble. Before she broke down in front of everyone, she ran upstairs and into her room. She jumped onto her princess bed and dug her head deep into her pillow. Tears spread across her pillow cover and made a big soaking mess. Every so often she would lift her head and look at the door, waiting for her father to return home good as new. She placed her head back down on her pillow and thought about everything happening so quickly. As she was wiping away her tears and slowly gaining her composure, she heard a knock at her door. Her face lit up and she ran to the door.

"Daddy! Oh my-" She opened the door and it wasn't her father. She had never had her heart drop so much in one night. It was Mary and although she loved Mary like a second mother, she did not want to see her right now. This could mean good news, or bad news. Mary was looking down at Kandice with her maternal eyes and slightly smiled at Kandice. She then, without warning shook her head at Kandice and looked down at the ground.

"He didn't make it, I'm afraid. I'm so sorry Kandice." Mary was starting to cry and Kandice needed her right then. Mary couldn't cry, not right now. The two of them started crying together and they hugged. How could this happen? They had both lost someone they loved dearly and didn't know what to do. Her father was gone and she would never see him again. It felt so surreal. How would she survive this? What would she do? Where would she go? Can this be happening?

Find out in the next chapter. Will Kandice find someplace else to go? Will Mary live with her? R&R please! I'll have the next one out sometime tomorrow!


	4. The Biggest Decision You'll Have To Make

Chapter 4

The Biggest Decision You'll Have to Make

Kandice woke up in the morning and feeling sick. She and Mary had been crying all night and the memory of her fathers' death kept shooting into her brain like sharp, scorching pains. Tears started welling up in her eyes again. She looked behind her in her princess bed to find Mary still sleeping innocently. The sight of Mary made her feel a little safer. She got up slowly and easily trying not to wake Mary and crept out of her room, shutting the door behind her. She walked through the long hallway toward the bathroom like it was unfamiliar to her, looking at every doorway and hall. Now that her father was gone, she had no purpose. This house would never belong to her again and she felt insecure thinking about that. _"How could this have happened? Was it my fault that my father died?"_ She hated thinking those thoughts, but they always came up in her mind.

She opened the door to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She looked tired, drained and depressed and that was exactly how she felt. She put her hand to her face, wiping away the dried tears that had fallen last night making a sudden wave of sickness come over her. She went to the toilet and threw up making everything kept inside of her, everything she had just dealt with go down the drain. She flushed the toilet and washed her face. Sighing deeply, she walked slowly back down into her room to wake Mary from her deep sleep.

To her surprise when she opened the door, she found, not only that Mary was awake, but another stranger standing beside her. Mary was crying again and she looked back at Kandice when she opened the door. Her sad eyes looked over at her as if they were trying to remember every little thing about her.

"What's going on?" Kandice demanded. "Who are you?"

She looked at a tall and lanky woman standing in front of Mary with her hands behind her back. She had her hair pinned up in a very professional bun and had a nice suit on. The woman had blonde hair and brown eyes. She looked over at Kandice as she came in and walked over to her, gently taking her hand.

"Kandice? I'm so sorry about your loss" she said in a very quiet, soothing voice. "I know you don't want to deal with all of this right now, but we need to get this over with as soon as possible. We need to know where you're going to be staying from now on." Kandice looked over at Mary and then back at the woman. "This is a very important matter, so I'm going to need you to focus with me. Mary doesn't have to be in the room with you while we are discus-"

"I want her here!" Kandice interrupted, looking at Mary. Kandice was scared enough as it was, she needed Mary to be there with her for this decision. The biggest decision she'd have to make.

"Alright, that's fine," she smiled at Kandice. "Now, let's get down to business. This may be hard for you, but we have two places that you can go. We have your Aunt Harriet down the street, she would be very glad to take you, or we have.." She paused and looked back at Mary for some kind of signal. Mary nodded and smiled slightly. "Or we have your mother." She said with much regret.

She knew that her mother wasn't very well off because of her working situation and she didn't know if she could take care the two of them. All she knew was that she was not about to live with her annoyingly stubborn Aunt Harriet down the street. Every time she spent the day over there, she would make Kandice clean the whole house. She did not want to live like that all the time.

"Well, I think I'll give my mother a try. In New York." The woman looked at Kandice with wide eyes and then looked back at Mary who was smiling. Mary had never looked so happy in her life. Kandice smiled back at Mary and felt satisfied with her answer.

"Well, then, you better pack your bags because I found a train leaving tonight at 7 p.m. Please be ready. William and I will be waiting outside to take your bags at that time." The woman got up with a serious look on her face, looked at Mary one last time, and left.

"Mary, I don't want to leave you. You're like a second mother to me." Kandice went over to Mary and gave her the biggest hug she could.

"I know darlin. It's gonna be hard to leave each other, but we can do it, right? We've stuck through a lot together. We can handle this can't we?" Mary started combing Kandice's hair with her fingers. "Look at you, still in your dress." She chuckled making light of the situation.

Kandice looked down at herself still in her dress from her mother. What would she be like? She probably had good sense of fashion, that's for sure. "You're right Mary. This will be fun and I'll get to see my mother, so I guess this won't be so bad after all. What was she like, my mother?"

"Ohh, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had golden blonde hair and the most beautiful hazel eyes, just like yours. She was tall and very slender, she was. Your father would always call her his sunset. She was like a sunset in a way people would come out just to see her sing. She loved to sing more than anything before you were born. She would always sing to you when you were in her belly. She would sing a beautiful lullaby." She looked down at Kandice, breaking away from her fantasy making her come back to reality. "You'll love her Kandice. Don't worry."

"I already do, Mary." She smiled up at Mary and then slowly rose up into a sitting position.

"Well, we better get you packed huh?" Mary and Kandice got up, looked around her room one last time and took a deep sigh.

The two of them packed for most of the day, stopping every now and then to look at memorabilia in her room. They would laugh and share things that happened, hugging every once in a while. It would be hard to leave, but they would have to get through it. Mary told Kandice that she would visit her in New York when she got the chance and they would go on a vacation. They always used to fantasize about going to places like Bahamas and Mexico together.

Some time went by and they were finished packing. Kandice's train was leaving in 2 hours and she had just enough time to tell her friends and leave. She didn't want to make it too long because it would be even harder for her to leave them. She didn't know how she was going to tell Mark after what he'd said last night before she left. She didn't know if she really loved him back. She couldn't, she had to leave today and nothing could happen between them. She especially didn't know how Liz would take it. They had lived next to each other for years, how was she going to take the big move? All she knew, was they she had to do it soon because she had to catch her train. William came upstairs and took her bags full of things. She had so many suit cases, he had to make 10 rounds up and down the stairs. Kandice sat on her princess bed that looked more like a servents bed now. It had no pink quilt, no pink and white fluffy pillow, nothing. It was just a mattress and a post. She sighed heavily and looked around her room letting her hand gracefully skim everything in the room one last time. Going over memories she had with Elizabeth in little parts of the room. The night before the party replayed in her mind over and over every time she looked at her bed. Her eyes started to water as she started to walk out the door. She took one last breath of fresh air before she opened her door, looked back into her room, turned off her light, and closed the door. She walked out into the hallway and looked down all the halls, looking in every door. She took extra time in her fathers room going over everything like she had her own room. Going down the stairs slowly she started to cry again, with her hand gliding smoothly over the railing. She looked up at the chandelier and smiled. She saw Mary standing with Elizabeth and Mark at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, Kandice. What's going on?" They said, smiling with confusion.

Kandice's tears were coming a little quicker now. She knew she had to tell them, she just didn't know how. Liz saw her tears falling and started to frown, almost understanding her right away.

Liz shook her head and started crying too. "No! No! you can't!" she exclaimed running up to her and giving her a big hug. At that moment Mark understood too and everyone left the three of them alone to talk. Liz hugged Kandice for a while and they cried together. Mark came over to the two of them and made sure they were ok. They sat down on the steps and were crying and laughing about fun times they used to have when they were kids.

"I can't believe this all happened so fast. What am I going to do without you?" Liz asked, playing with Kandices' hair. She placed her head on Kandices' for a couple minutes and then got up. "I'm going to run to the bathroom to wash up, my face is probably a mess." She ran to the bathroom in her fast, cute Elizabeth way, saying "hi" to Mary quickly before disappearing behind the kitchen door.

Mark stood up and grabbed Kandices' hand behind him, pulling her up with him. "So, about what I said yesterday, you don't have to answer or anything, I just wanted to let you know, you know that I care about you. And now your leaving" He let his eyes wonder down to the ground holding her against him. He loved feeling her body next to his. It made him feel like she would never be anyone's but his, but now he wasn't so sure about that.

"No, it was so sweet of you Mark. I was speechless because I've never had anyone feel that strongly about me and it made me feel really good. So, thank you." She smiled up at him, letting her tears start falling again. Mark took his thumb and gently wiped away the tear that was falling down her right cheek and then leaned in slowly to give her the sweetest, most innocent kiss she had ever felt.

At that moment, she knew exactly what to say. "I won't forget you Mark. I'll write to you guys whenever I can. You'll make a girl very happy someday. Watch out for Liz for me ok?" She winked at him and he shook his head at her.

"I don't want to make anyone lucky, but you, Kandice." He pleaded with her. "I'll write to you whenever you write to me. I promise you." He kissed her one last time and then Liz came running back in with her face cleaned up.

"Ok love birds, that's enough for tonight." She smiled and then looked at the clock. It was 6:30 p.m. and Kandice had to go catch her train. Liz looked back at Kandice with sad eyes and her heart was racing. She couldn't say goodbye to her best friend so soon. Kandice saw Liz looking at the clock and noticed the time too. She had to leave her life long home. She looked at Mark and kissed him, handing him a note secretly into his hand. Mark looked at the front of the envelope that said "Don't open this until tonight." He smiled and put it inside his pocket.

She then turned to Liz and ran over to her, giving her the biggest hug she had ever given her. "I love you so much Liz. Please don't give up anything your doing. You're truly amazing and don't let Tim get to you because you can get anyone you want. Write to me and update me on everything that's happening around here. Don't get a new best friend either!" She started to cry. "And take this" just then she gave Liz one of two friendship rings she bought that day just for this occasion. She put it on her finger and put the other one on herself. They were 14 carrot gold rings with a blue ruby on the top. Blue was their favorite color. On the side they said "friends forever" and they had their names on the inside. They both started to cry as they looked at each other one last time.

"Thank you so much Kandice. It's beautiful." She hugged Kandice one last time before Kandice turned away and started to leave. She couldn't stay any longer ,she would miss her train. Just then, Mary came back in with William. They were laughing and talking about little things that have happened because they, too, were leaving each other. Kandice ran up to Mary and hugged her one more time before she would get into the carriage and leave forever. She hugged Mary, who lifted her up and twirled her around. It reminded her of when she was little and Mary would do that to her all the time. She smelt Mary's hair like she would when she was little, remembering every last smell of the soap she used. Mary let her down and the two were crying with each other, making it worse for Kandice to leave. Mary brought Kandice to the carriage. She took her to the door and helped her inside.

"Good luck Kandice. You will have so much fun. Tell your mother "hello" for me and that we all miss her." She gave Kandice a kiss on the cheek and closed the door behind her. Kandice waved to everyone as she was leaving, the carriage pulling further and further away, leaving her whole life behind. She could see Mark and Liz's face one last time before she went out of sight. They were so sad and crying, but she knew their lives would go back to normal before long. She faced forward and wiped away her tears one by one. William could hear her sniffling in the back and looked down smiling a little. He knew she would love being in New York, even if it meant leaving her friends and family behind. He took her downtown to the train station where she would catch her 7:00 train.

Kandice got out of the carriage at 6:45 and a group of workers helped get all of her stuff from the carriage to the train's storage room. She walked to the train and met William there. "I'm sure going to miss you too, William." She gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. He smiled down at her and wiped a small tear from his eye.

"It's been such a pleasure serving you and your family all these years Ms. Maclane." he smiled at her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"William, you can call me Kandice now, if you want." she laughed with him and gave him another big hug before stepping onto the first step of the train. She turned back one last time and blew him a kiss. Slowly the trains wheels started chugging along the tracks and she was once again disappearing into another life. A whole new world that she was not ready for. Kandice's tears fell a little more as she was leaving. She went in and sat down on a seat alone, where no one was seated. She put her head against the window of the train and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

"'Scuse me? Is anybady sittin hea?" She heard a voice from behind her and turned around to find a very handsome-looking boy looking to sit near her.

OHHH whats gonna happen! My lord what a rush! Who's Kandice going to meet right now? We will find out wont we? In the next episode of...Please Remember. R&R por favor (please in spanish)


	5. Only In New York

1Chapter 5

Only in New York

The handsome, tall, light-eyed boy looked at her. "Excuse me?" He looked at her again, but this time noticing her hazel eyes and beautiful skin. He smiled a little blushing. "Is anyone sitting across from you here?"

"No, no not all. Please, sit down." Kandice smiled at him with her tired eyes. She was still very sad about leaving her friends and family, but this was a crucial moment for her. She was sitting right next to a very cute guy asking to sit across from her? This was a cause for celebration. She did not want to show how she felt, but sat there very lady-like.

"So, whea you headed?" he asked with a cute smirk on the side of his face. Kandice loved when guys did that.

"I'm going to New York, what about you?" She looked into his eyes, searching for any type of hint towards what kind of person he was.

"Oh, really? Same hea. Jus' comin from Santa Fe. I've been on a coupla' trains so fa." He put his arm on the arm rest of the chair and Kandice freaked. It was very muscle-y and had veins coming out of the arm. Kandice loved that too, along with big strong hands, which he had. "Jack Kelly" He held out his hand for her to shake.

"Kandice." She took his hand in hers and felt sparks fly, almost like a jolt. Her heart started pounding. His hand was soft and strong almost perfect and she loved it. She smiled at the thought of it.

"Kandice huh? Thas it? Jus Kandice, no las name or nuttin'." He said making a joke and waiting for Kandice's reaction.

Kandice turned red and apologized. "Kandice McClane." She giggled.

"Oh, so what ah you? Irish?" He questioned

"Yes, why? Do you have a problem with the Irish?" she raised one eyebrow, challenging him.

"Woah, woah, not at all, don wanna staht no trouble oah nuttin." He smiled at her giving her a wink. The train ride was a long and very interesting one. The two of them talked and shared interests and backgrounds. Kandice didn't tell him what had happened to her to get here, but Jack had told her about his family living in Sante Fe and how he stayed in a Lodging house in Manhatten for selling newspapers. Kandice found that really exciting and told him that she was meeting up with her mother. She lived in Manhatten also. They became so close during the train ride, that Jack said he would even help her find her mother's house when they got off the train.

"Ok, so whea ah we headin foist?" He asked her looking around for the exit of the station. Kandice giggled at his accent. "Whatchu laughin about huh?" He challenged, putting up his fist like he was about to soak her.

"Oh, nothing. Your accent is just cute. Is it a New York accent?" She asked with much interest.

"Yea. You gotta problem wid dat?" He punched the air a couple times and they both started laughing. "Yea well, yoah accent's cute too." He smiled at her and turned a little pink.

They walked out of the station with the workers grabbing her bags and following them.

Jack turned around and was about to jump on the two men with the bags. "Jack! Jack!" Kandice yelled trying to get his attention. Jack turned towards her. "Their with me." She laughed at him and then grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the station. The two walked out into downtown Manhatten and giggled and joked the whole way. Kandice saw a police station and started running towards it. "Let's go!" She called to Jack who was right behind her.

"Ohhh no no no." he said staying back when he saw where they were running to.

"Why not? I just want to see where my mom is?" She explained to him. "What the big deal Jack, common." Jack followed her hesitantly into the police station with much regret. When they got inside, he ducked under things and was hiding his face a lot. "Jack..what are you _doing?_" Kandice asked a little concerned.

"I'll tell you lata. Can't really explain it right now." He said ducking behind a big plant in the corner of the room. Kandice gave him a weird look and then went to wait in line at the counter. After about a five minute wait she got up to face a grey haired man who was very intimidating. He looked at Kandice very hatefully.

"Yeah kid? What ah you doin hea?" He said in a very gruff, deep, scratchy voice.

"Hello, my name is Kandice McClane and I'm trying to find my mother who lives around here. Her name is Sharan McClane." She swallowed hard.

"McClane McClane.." he said trying to remember the name. "As in the Ohio McClane's?" He asked her.

Kandice didn't realize her family was that well-known. "Um. Yes, yes the Ohio McClane's."

"Well, then right away Ms. McClane." He said with much attentiveness. "Dave!" He yelled into the back room of the station. She heard a small voice from the back room answer back. "Go get me the file of a Mrs. Sharan McClane, please!"

"Of the Ohio McClane's?" Kandice heard the voice get a little excited.

"Yes of the freakin…excuse me Ms. McClane" He said to her quickly before running back there. A few moments later, the white-haired officer came back out with an envelope and a smile. He looked inside the folder after several seconds, looked up at Kandice with a sad expression on his face. "uh, Ms. McClane."

"Kandice" she said interrupting him.

"Kandice, It seems that yoah mudda has been deceased foah some time now." He looked back in the folder and he shook his head. "I'm so sarry."

Kandice felt herself getting sick again and turned around running out of the station holding one hand over her mouth and her other over her stomach. Jack saw her running and caught up with her. He followed her outside and saw that she was getting sick. He ran over to her side as she went over to a nearby trashcan and held back her long waist-length hair while she threw up. He then rubbed her back and whispered that everything was ok over and over. When Kandice came up she was crying.

"Jackkkk, hee ded" she sniffled a couple times. "He ded dat mu mudder is dead!" She sniffled again and Jack's face was shocked. "I have no where du goo."

Jack pulled her into a strong, deep hug. "I am so sarry Kandice. Oh my god" He held her head with his hand and kissed the top. Her hair smelled so good and felt so soft. He couldn't help but want to touch it. All of a sudden, she started jerking again and ran back to the trash can. Jack ran over again and held her hair.

After the throwing up was finished, they finally started walking around Mahatten talking about little things. Jack was trying to help get Kandice's mind off of the whole situation, but if she needed to talk about it, he would. "You know, Kandice." He explained. "You could always come to da lodging house if ya need to. I mean da boys ah real nice and dey wouldn' do anythin bad to ya." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Not if I have anythin ta say abat it." He whispered under his breath.

"Oh, Jack could I? That would be so much fun!" She jumped into his arms and hugged him tight. He laughed and set her down again.

"Aright. Come wid me ill show you weah ta go." She followed him for a while as they walked to the lodging house. To break the silence, Jack asked, " So, you neva tol me why you moved heah from Ohio."

"Well, it's a long story" she turned red and looked down on the street lamp lighted sidewalk.

"Well we gots a while." He proceeded.

"Well, if you must know, my father died." She said abruptly, leaving Jack with no time to prepare. "That's why I moved here."

_"Wow_, sorry again." he nervously chuckled.

"It's ok. I'm fine with it. I wouldn't have gotten to meet you." She looked up at the 5'11" boy and smiled shyly. She reached out and grabbed his hand lightly as it was swinging. He looked down at her hand when they touched and then looked up at her eyes, marveling at how beautiful they were. They walked the rest of the way to the lodging house hand in hand, laughing and talking.

When they finally got there, they came in the front door to find Klopman, the boys' "father-like" figure. He was more of a friend to them then anything. He had a small hat to fit his small head and glasses. He looked pretty old, with his cane and small limp. He gave them a big smile as they came in and looked down at their hands. Jack and Kandice both saw what he was looking at and let go of each other, Jack clearing his throat and Kandice fixing her hair.

"Well, well, well look who's back it's the cowwboyy!" Kloppman said with an enormous smile on his face. He slowly moved towards Jack with his cane helping him along, giving him a big hug when he finally got there. "And you brought a visitor." He smiled at Kandice and shook her hand, then winked at Jack. "I'm Kloppman, I run the show around here, wake the boys up, help them out."

"The _boys?_" She looked at Kloppman, then Jack with a bewildered look on her face. Jack smiled at Kloppman and then grabbed Kandice's hand, dragging her up a flight of stairs. Kandice could hear a loud screaming and then a thump. She saw a doorway in the clearing and Jack looked back at her then took a deep breath.

"You ready foah dis?" He asked looking very nervous. Kandice gave him a hesitant look and slowly followed him into the door.

"Jackk?" She walked inside to see over 20 boys going crazy and running around. There was a poker game going on in one corner, and another game in another. Suddenly the noise died down and everything went silent as all of the boys focused their attention on Jack and Kandice. Their mouths were wide open and they were just staring. Then, they all smiled and looked at Jack.

"JACKKIIEE BOYYY" they all ran over one by one giving him a "spit shake" and asking him how his trip went. They seemed to be whispering to Jack and looking at Kandice a little. One finally turned toward her and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Skittery." He said with a nice, smile. He, too, was good looking. Kandice was relieved _someone_ decided to say hi to her.

"Kandice." She held out her hand and shook Skittery's. "Nice to meet you." He had crystal blue eyes and was a little taller then Jack. He seemed to be staring into her eyes just as Jack had and she liked it. There was something about him that made her feel comfortable and safe.

"Alright well. Dis is da humble abode. Dis hea is Racetrack, Boots, Skittery, which I see you've already met, and Bumlets." Jack introduced. They all greeted her one by one as they were announced, giving her a big smile. Kandice was covered with welcomes. It was the nicest feeling to get after everything that had just happened to her. She waved at all of them and then looked at Skittery.

"Wow. Everyone is being so nice to me, it's so refreshing." She whispered to Skittery. He smiled at her and laughed.

"Yeah, I wondah why?" he was hinting to the fact that she was so beautiful, but she didn't understand and just stared at him with a concerned look. "Nevermind" he said laughing at her.

"So, whatdoya tink?" he asked her, waiting for a response.

"I...Love it!" she smiled. "It's so homie and fun. Could use a little cleaning, but other than that, great!"

"Ughh" the boys rolled their eyes and went back to playing their games. Jack laughed at Kandice and then showed her to a bed above his.

"Dis is yoah bunk. You'll be stayin heah foah a while until we can getchu annudah room. Is dat ok?" He asked her, hoping she would stay.

"Of course it is! Where will I change and get ready?" She was opening doors and looking into things trying to find a inclosed place.

"Well, da washroom, butchu jus gotta make sure no one's in deah foist, dats all." He showed her to the washroom and gave her the grand tour. She looked at everything, ready to take on a new adventure. She took a deep breath in and reassured herself that she was actually going to do this. Then she smiled, nodded at Jack and yawned.

"I think I'm going to head to bed. Do you mind? I'm kinda tired." She fixed a small piece of hair that fell in his face and smiled. He smiled back at her longingly and nodded.

"Yeah, shoah. You want me ta get outta heah?" He asked beginning to leave the room.

"Oh yeah that reminds me, my bags should be downstairs." She grabbed Jack's hand and dragged him to the stairs. Kloppman was struggling up with the first one and could just about make it. "Oh no! Kloppman, we can take it, please don't carry those." She helped him carry the first one and Jack went down for the rest. Once he came back up with all the bags, he was breathing very heavily. "Awww, thank you so much Jackie Poo." She said, rubbing his cheek and taking her Pj's out of her suitcase.

She went into the bathroom and came out 20 minutes later with a beautiful night gown on. It was white and silky and had little flowers on the top around the neck. She looked great in it and Jack sat there staring at her with his mouth wide open. Kandice saw his expression, smiled to herself pretending not to see him and starting climbing up to bed. "Goodnight" she said innocently, still smiling at the thought of Jack sitting there gawping. She lay down in bed and closed her eyes and to her surprise, fell asleep rather quickly.

If she only knew tomorrow would be a most tiring and eventful day...

So that was Chapter 5 and Ill be coming out with Chapter six sometime soon. This is going to be a long and detailed story so I need to know if it's worth it, so review please! thanks for all the reviews so far! They were very nice :-)


	6. One of Dem'

Chapter 6

One of Dem'

"Wake up! Wake up!" Kandice woke up to Kloppman yelling at the boys, banging his cane all over the place waking each boy one by one. Kandice heard him make his way over to Jack, while the rest of the newsboys moaned and groaned.

"Ah you mad! Was wrong withchu?" she heard Jack groan. Kloppman went over to the other side of him and started punching him.

"Get up, get up" he said, while Jack played his daily punching game with him. Jack got up lazily, like he did every morning. Anotha day sellin papes. But Jack just remembered that he had something new to look forward too. Kandice! He looked above him and saw her with her eyes open and the blankets wrapped around her. Jack thought she looked so cute and he smiled at her.

"So you wanna come sell papes wid me?...and da uddah boys of coase." he asked.

"_Me? _You want _me_ to sell papes with you?" Jack waited for the complaints to slap him in the face. "Of course I'll sell papes. Are you kidding me? That's so exciting!" She squealed leaping up from her bed and hugging Jack. "I'm going to get dressed." She jumped down from her top bunk and ran to her suitcase, grabbing some clothes and running into the washroom. Jack stood there stunned. This girl was amazing. She was up for anything and he loved that, but he just couldn't get too attached. _I don't think she likes me back, so I won't do or say anything. _He thought to himself, although it killed him inside.

Kandice sprinted into the bathroom to find news boys everywhere getting dressed and shaving. She stopped, turning bright red and waited for the little boy to come out of the stall. It smelled so bad in the washroom and she could catch a glimpse of Skittery and Mush looking at her a couple times. The little boy finally came out after 10 minutes of waiting and she hesitantly walked in. Getting dressed she could hear the whispers of the boys talking about her. "Jack is so lucky." they whispered, joking and laughing with each other. She came out in her nice comfortable, elegant, pants and nice white silky blouse and walked into the bed room. Jack was waiting for her and she smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm ready if you are." she said looking up at him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed his jacket from the unmade bed.

"Com on, McClane." he said smiling down at her and walking out the door. She followed him closely as they walked down the road for the first couple minutes, then drifted off to talk to Skittery, Mush, and Race for a while. They finally got to the newspaper stand and Jack was first in line to bang obnoxiously on the window. "Mr. Weasseeelll." he annoyed. Mr Weisel came to the window and opened the door. "Well Hiya Mr. _Weasel_" He joked, making all of the newsies laugh loudly. "100 papes please." He said with such confidence.Mr. Weisel rolled his eyes and yelled back to the boys. "100 papes foah Jack _Kelly._" he said sarcastically. Jack walked down the small, narrow steps and waited down there for Kandice, spit shaking David on the way down.

"Who's _that?_" David asked Jack as he was watching everyone get their papes.

"Kandice. She's new so, treat 'er nice ok?" He said looking him in the eye.

"Woah, ok. Calm down" David said, putting his hands in the air like he was about to get arrested.

"She's beautiful though. Where did you find her?"

"She was on da train when I was comin' back from Santa Fe. We met and stuff and now weah pretty close." he said in a sort of protective way.

"Well, your lucky. I wish I could get a girl like that. Look at Skittery, he's getting her papes for her. He never does that for _anyone_. What a lucky guy. Are they together?" He asked.

"NO! Why would dey be togeda?" He got defensive and almost looked like he was about to punch David. He gave a sort of panicked look and then looked back at them. "Ah Dey?"

"No, no I doubt it, I don't think so." David said easing away slowly so Jack wouldn't get mad again. Jack was thinking about what David said about Skittery and Kandice being together and became slightly jealous. _He _should be the one buying her papes. _He _should be the one in that line with her making her laugh and helping her out.

Skittery was up at the counter with Kandice laughing about something he said. "So how many papes you want Kandice?"

Kandice checked her pockets. "Oh my goodness. I don't have my money. I must have left it in the lodging house. Ugh! I'm so stupid."

"No, it's ok. I got it for ya. Lets get you 20 ta staht off wid. 20 papes Weisel!" he said giving him 25 cents.

"No, Skittery, please don't pay for me-" he stopped her and squeezed her hand. "It's ok, really."

She blushed and stared at him smiling. He was the nicest guy that she could ask for. He was such a good friend. She turned around to face Jack and saw the jealous rage on his face. She walked down and smiled at him cutely. "Jackieee. Are you jealous? That is _so_ cute. You're jealous of me and Skittery huh?" she nudged his shoulder and giggled.

"You tink I cea? I don't. I don't cea." he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and starting walking away. Kandice smiled at his cute way of hiding his jealousy and followed him with her papes, waving to Skittery and Mush as she left. Jack led Kandice to his selling spot and told her all about selling papes. "Now watchu wanna do is stretch da truth a little. So say you got a headline like on page 2." She turned to page 2 of the newspaper and looked at it. "People are buying more and more Radios! The prices are to die for!' Jack looked at it and then looked at her. "Ready?" he asked and without any sort of direction screamed, "Radios on a killing spree! People ah dyin everywhere! Extra Extra!" Kandice was so amused by all this. As Jack started collecting money from needy people Kandice walked over in her nice clothes to a young boy about Jack's age who looked a little wealthy.

"Excuse me, sir." She flashed him a glistening smile and made her eyes extra noticeable. "I was just noticing how handsome you are and I was wondering is maybe you would wanna buy a paper from me?" She tried her hardest to flirt with someone else. She saw Jack looking from the corner of her eye. The boy smiled back at her and then went into his pocket, giving Kandice 10 cents and took one paper.

"Keep the rest" he said very sweetly. They boy watched her as he walked away slowly while Kandice gave him one last cute wave. Jack, then, came over to Kandice who was smiling and had his eyebrows raised.

"Well, well, well." he said. Jack looked at her for a mere moment and then started yelling out newspaper "bluffs" and getting money. Kandice did the same and by the end of the day, Kandice had started selling some of Jacks. "Well you caught on fast." he said. She could tell he was blown away by how good she was on her first day.

"I'm a natural." She said and walked past him, pushing his shoulder on her way. They were on their way to Tibby's, the restaurant where all the newsies met for lunch and dinner. It was getting dark out and Kandice started to get cold. She was rubbing her arms up and down, trying to make the goose bumps go away when suddenly she felt Jack put his jacket on her. "Oh, Jack it's ok, I'm fine." She said.

He shook his head. "McClane, do you evah just accept anytin da way it is?" he asked her.

"Yes, of course I can. Just not from you." she gave him a big smile and pushed him lightly. She loved flirting with Jack, he was so cute when he flirted. He shook his head and smiled. They walked to the restaurant and headed inside to the sound of hundreds of newsies talking and laughing while they ate. Mush and Skittery were sitting with racetrack and Bumlets and waved to Jack and Kandice to sit with them.

"So Jacky-boy how long befoah da wedding?" He chuckled with the boys. Kandice and Jack both turned bright red and Jack put up his fist.

"You wanna good soakin thea Race. Huh?" He joked. He loved being with the boys. Kandice sat there laughing at everything. She thought they were all hilarious and she could tell she would learn to become very close to each and every one of them. They ate a nice filling dinner and Jack payed for both him and Kandice. Kandice could tell that Jack was interested in her, but she didn't want anything to go wrong. She was so afraid of getting hurt, that she never thought of starting with anyone else after Mark. Slowly in groups the newsies started leaving and heading over to the Manhattan lodging house for a poker game.

"Hey Jack, you in?" Race yelled back to Jack as he was like leaving with Blink.

"Nah, im gonna just walk around wit Kandice foah a little." He said. He saw racetrack give him a wink and an air nudge as he left laughing with the boys. Jack rolled his eyes and turned to Kandice. "Ready?" he said grabbing his jacket off the table and waving to the cook as he left.

They stepped outside the door to a cold gust of air. It was raining now and Kandice squealed and ran out into the rain putting her arms towards the sky and spinning around, getting soaking wet underneath the street light. "Oh my goodness! Come out here Jack! I _love_ the rain so much! Come out here with me!" she yelled at Jack, but he just stood there with his arms crossed, not budging. He had never gone out in the rain and ran around like that. Kandice ran over to him and grabbed his hand pulling him into the pouring rain. He stood there for a little and then started to smile at her as she ran around, sticking out her tongue to the rain. He ran over to her and lifted her up, carrying her over to the park across the street. Kandice was screaming for dear life and laughing at the same time.

Jack was running so fast he fell onto the ground on top of Kandice, with both of them cracking up. They were smiling and looking into each others eyes and suddenly Jack's smile went away. They noticed that they were near a beautiful lake and they looked out at it. It looked misty and very romantic as the water was dripping on their heads. Jack looked back down at Kandice and slightly laughed. Both of their faces were dripping wet and her hair looked beautiful and wavy. She looked up at him as they breathed heavy trying to catch their breath with the rain falling on their faces. Jack looked into her eyes until suddenly Kandice grabbed his neck and pulled him in quickly for the most passionate kiss. It was the happiest feeling they both had had in a while, as their lips suddenly touched, sending a lightning bolt through them. It was amazing. The rain started falling a little softer on them and her fingers caressing the back of his neck as they went further into the kiss. Jack's hands moved onto the back of her head, holding her up and at that moment, she felt safe with him. Jack started getting softer with the kiss and more gentle, just how Kandice liked it. Suddenly she felt his tongue slide into her mouth and she followed through with it, following him. He seemed very experienced and she liked it. He was a very good kisser. She was starting to get in sync with his kiss, their mouths molding and forming to each other comfortably. Jacks hand started wandering up the side of her shirt and suddenly they heard hoots and hollers. They turned to find Race, Blink, and Mush looking at them. They got up slowly, their faces turning bright red. Kandice fixed Jack's jacket that was on her and wiping off the dirt on her. Jack looked at Kandice and moved a piece of straggling hair out of her face and put it softly behind her ear. "Wow." he chuckled a little, lightening the mood. "So...yoah not wit Skittery?" he said hoping.

"Of course not. Why would you think that? We're just good friends." They smiled at each other once more before they started walking back. Jack laced Kandice's hand in his and they started walking to go catch up with Mush, and the boys.

* * *

Aww so romantical. So review and ill write some more. Give me some ideas of what should happen. I wont garauntee that they'll be totally used, but I might use some material from it. And ill make sure I write the props to you at the bottom or top..hah. Hope you like it! There will be some more romantical stuff later so keep checking back. 

-Nini (my nickname if you didnt know)


	7. Kandice's Debut

Chapter 7

Kandice's Debut

When Jack and Kandice got back that night with Mush, Race, and Blink, they walked in the door hand in hand without a care in the world. Kloppman looked at them like he had the first night, but their hands didn't move, but just stayed laced. He smiled at them and checked them both in. Jack tossed 10 cents to Kloppman for the two of them to stay there that night and then wrapped his arm around Kandice's neck, giving her a noogie and draggin her up the stairs.

"Jack! No, Stop ahhh!" she screamed while he took her up the stairs. She was flailing her arms everywhere trying to get ahold of him. When she finally did they were at the top of the stairs and she put her elbow in his chest and then grabbed his arm put him to the ground and put his arm behind his back, bent in a way that she could brake it at any second.

"Ow ow! Where da hell did ya loin ta do dat?" He asked her, while still in the uncomfortable arm lock.

"My father taught me a while back. He said I might need it for self defense in the future. Guess it worked huh?" She said laughing and pulling his arm up further. After a couple minutes of Jack complaining she let go and stood up walking away from him shaking her head and laughing. She went into the bunk room and slipped into her pajamas, climbing into her nicely made bed. She lay down in it and suddenly got a flashback of her and Elizabeth in her room on her princess bed.

"Oh my god! My princess sheets!" she jumped down from her bed, with the newsies chuckling at her and went into her suitcase for her sheets and quilt. She opened it up, took the sheets out and unfolded them, rubbing them on her face as if she hadn't seem them in years. Jack came in just as she was rubbing them on her and gave her a confused, weird look. Making her bed with her princess sheets she remembered all the memories on her old bed and she suddenly thought of Mark and Elizabeth. She smiled at the thought of them and decided she would write Elizabeth a letter.

Once her bed was made she got out a piece of clean paper and her lucky blue pen that she took everywhere with her. She wrote the letter and looked it over once before she was satisfied. It was the longest letter she had ever written and it was truly everything she had wanted to tell her from day 1 of being in New York. She put a stamp on the envelope and put it on the bottom of her bed to send in the morning on her way to the distribution center. She lay down on her comfortable sheets that smelled of her old house and fell asleep as fast as she lay down.

Kandice woke up in the middle of that night to feel a rustling and a little noise. She woke up to the pitch black room and suddenly saw a figure coming up to her bed. She gasped from being half asleep, but soon realized it was Jack. "Heyyy" she whispered, with her tired, cracking voice.

"Hey." he said trying to be quiet but laughed a little, making some of the newsies move aroundin their beds. He climbed up on her bunk and lay down next to her. "I couldn't sleep so I-" Kandice cut him off and gave him a quick peck on the lips to shut him up. He turned his body so that he was facing the ceiling. He felt Kandice turn around and put her hand and head on his chest breathing heavily before she fell asleep. She was a silent sleeper who looked more innocent and angelic than ever. He played with her hair for a little, smelling her shampoo as he did and fell asleep with her hand underneath her. He had never been able to fall asleep that easily in years, but finally he found his cure. She was his cure...for everything.

* * *

Mark was laying comfortable in his bed while he stared at the ceiling, thinking about Kandice and the move. He turned to his side and sighed a heavy sigh, looking at his posters and radio, remembering when Kandice had gone in there looking at everything. He suddenly remembered the letter she gave him the last day she was there. He turned on the lamp on his night stand and opened his drawer. He lifted up the bottom of the drawer, which was his secret place that he kept money and things and took out the envelope that neatly spelled out his name in her writing. He smile at it and got out his letter opener, making sure he didn't rip it or anything. He took out the neatly folded piece of paper and opened it slowly. There on the paper was a cute little note from her. It was everything she had wanted to say to him, but couldn't because it would be too hard. 

Mark smiled as he read it, picturing her writing it.

_My dearest Mark,_

_I am so sorry about what happened yesterday. That is not how I wanted to spend that night and certainly not how I wanted you to remember me, a balling mess. I'm also sorry for making you come with me back to my house, but I thank you so much for doing it. Your party was to die for and it certainly lives up to it's name. And your room, is great! I miss it already. What you said in your bedroom that night was the nicest thing I have ever heard and I promise you, I feel the same. I just couldn't tell you because I was afraid of getting hurt and having everything downfall, along with our friendship. I am so sorry for not being able to tell you and I hope that you understand where I am coming from. And please, don't worry or think about me while im gone. That much. Hehe. Hope your having fun and take care of Liz for me!_

_Your Bestest Friend,_

_Kandice_

_P.S. You looked extremely handsome in your suit that night. Just thought you'd like to know._

Mark laughed at the note and folded it while he looked up, smiling. He let out a deep sigh and lay down again. He knew that she loved him, and he knew that he had to see her again. He WOULD see her again. If it was the last thing he did!

* * *

"Wake up, Wake up!" Kandice woke up once again to Kloppman banging his cane on every bunk he passed, waking up all the newsboys once again. Kandice turned around in her bed and closed her eyes again. She suddenly opened her eyes quickly when she looked around and Jack was no where to be found. She checked the washroom and the health room, but she couldn't find him. Even Racetrack didn't know where he was. Kandice took a quick shower and got into her selling clothes, running down the stairs to grab something to eat quickly from Kloppman before heading out the door. Suddenly, Jack came walking along with a short boy, a little taller then her. Jack had two bags in his hands and was cracking up at something the shorter boy said. 

Kandice stood on the steps with her hands on her hips waiting for Jack to get to the steps. "Um excuse me, where have you been? I went crazy trying to find you when I didn't see you next to me this morning." The boy laughed at Jack, turning Jacks face bright red. Jack pulled Kandice to the side.

"Kandice do you know who dat is?" he asked her. He looked back at the boy and waved, smiling before he turned back over to Kandice with a stern face. "Dats da Brooklyn Leadah, So please, don embarrass me." he said sympathizing with her. He turned back to Spot and looked at Kandice. "Kandice, dis is the Brooklyn newsies leadah Spot. Kandice smiled at him. "Spot Conlon, dis is my friend Kandice" Kandice realized what Jack had said. She stared at him with her eyebrows raised, waiting for him to change his introduction, but he didn't. He came down to visit foah a little while and to go to Medda's tanaight. Dat's whea everyone goes once a month. Wanna go wit me?" He asked her. He knew if she said no in front of Spot, he would look like an idiot.

Kandice was furious that Jack had called her just a friend. Who did he think he was? Maybe they weren't anything else, but she did kiss him last night, and he kissed her back. So, what was going on? "No, sorry Jack. I can't. I think I'm going with Skittery, you know...my _boyfriend_." On that note, she turned around and started walking away, but before she did she walked back and said, " Oh and it was so nice meeting you, Spot." She smiled at him and turned around to go ask Skittery to go with her. She was so completely angry at this point, that she stormed up the stairs and wasn't stopping for anyone. Skittery was walking down the hall with Bumlets getting ready to go to the distribution center. Kandice turned around and starting walking with them, out the door and passed the two boys.

Jack watched Kandice walk away with the boys and yelled, "But I gaht you breakfast!" Kandice didn't turn around, but kept walking away.

"Skittery. You know how everyone is heading over to Meddah's tonight?" She asked him as he nodded his head. "Well, I was wondering if you had a date." She smiled at him and waved to Bumlets while Skittery was 'thinking.' He knew his answer right away, he just wasn't sure what Jack would say.

They both looked back at Jack who was holding up two bags of food, looking helpless as ever. Skittery, then, looked back at Kandice and smiled. "Shoah, I would love to." He said, putting his arm out to her. She put her arm in between his and looked back at Jack smiling. She almost felt bad for Jack. ALMOST.

Kandice sold with Skittery and Bumlets for most of the day, having so much fun she could tell it made Jack jealous. She had sold 50 papers and made a good amount of money with her flirting technique. She was on the ball.

It was starting to get dark and Skittert, Bumlets, and Kandice had become the best of friends. They had so many inside jokes, they couldn't even keep track of them all. The whole newsie group went to Tibby's together for dinner before Medda's. Except this time, Brooklyn and Queens were there too, talking and laughing with Manhatten, although most of Brooklyn sat away from Manhatten. Jack was sitting with Spot, Race, Blink and David, while Kandice was sitting with Skittery, Bumlets, Squints, Boots and another girl from Queens. They were laughing and sharing stories the whole night and from what Jack saw, were getting along pretty well. The whole night Jack and Kandice were secretly looking at each other, but when one of them would see the other, would turn away keeping their pride.

"Kandice. Kandice!" The queens girl, Samantha, was yelling for Kandice's attention as she was secretly looking at Jack. Kandice turned back to Sam, like she was listening the whole time.

"Yeah?" Kandice quickly looked back. Sam looked over at what Kandice was looking at.

"Ohhhh" She said smirking. Jack was now looking at them. "He's cute. Who's he?"

"Jack. We're kinda together, I thought. But I'm really mad at him right now, and he knows it, so I'm not talking to him." She said pointing her nose up.

"Well, wit dat face and body, it must be hahd." She said eyeing Jack, checking him out.

Kandice saw Sam checking Jack out and she suddenly got jealous. "Yeah, it is." She said looking at her again with her eyebrows raised and fists ready. Sam looked down at her clenched hands and backed off.

"So, ah we gettin ready foah meddah's oah what?" She asked, making light of the situation. Kandice let it go and grabbed her jacket, telling the boys she would see them there and kissing Skittery on the cheek. She shot one last glance over at Jack before leaving with Sam and could see that he was sad and confused at the situation. She wanted to talk to him and make up with him so badly, but knew that he had to know what made her mad.

Once the girls got back to the lodging house after laughing and talking about their interests and gossip, they took their dresses out to show each other. Kandice had hung up her things in her own closet that Kloppman had made her and she went searching through her things for the perfect dress. She suddenly stopped and saw a dress that not only had special meaning, but made everyone that saw her in it, stop and stare. She took it out. It was a purple, long dress that was very glittery and low cut. It had a shawl with it that she was to hold around her shoulders, and white gloves. She also had the necklace that her father had given her for her 10th birthday dangling from it. It was a locket with a picture of him and her mother. She looked at her mother and smiled, remembering her smell from when her mother would rock her to sleep. She then suddenly heard the lullaby in her head. The lullaby her mom would sing to her every night before falling asleep.

_Smile, though your heart is aching._

_Smile, even though it's breaking_

_When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by_

_If you smile, through your fears and sorrows_

_Smile, and maybe tomorrow,_

_You'll see the sun come shining through_

_If you light up your face with gladness_

_Hide every trace of sadness_

_All though a tear may be ever so near_

_That's the time you must keep on trying_

_Smile, what's the use of crying_

_You'll find that life is still worth while_

_If you just Smile. _

She smiled and her eyes starting watering when she remembered how beautiful her mom's voice was. She looked at her dress, dried her eyes, and went into the washroom to meet up with Sam who was already getting ready and taking a shower. When Kandice went in she got in the shower and thought about her mother as the warm water dripped down the back of her head and back.

_Smile though your heart is aching_

_Smile even though is breaking_

Kandice sang as she washed her hair with her nice-smelling shampoo she had from home. She closed her eyes and put her head under the water.

_When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by_

Sam could hear Kandice in the shower next to hers. Her voice was beautiful. With the sound of the water and the echo in the washroom, it made her voice 10 times louder and more present. Sam smiled and pretended she couldn't hear her as she listened and closed her eyes. The song was so soothing, it made Sam happy.

_If you smile, through your fears and sorrows _

_Smile and maybe tomorrow_

_You'll see the sun come shining through_

_If you-_

Suddenly, Kandice remembered Sam was in the room with her and she stopped abruptly waiting for any kind of reaction. "Sam?" Kandice called in the washroom. Sam giggled silently, so Kandice couldn't hear her. "Sam!" Kandice called a little louder.

"Yeah!" Sam answered back as if she was responding for the first time.

"Did you hear me?" Kandice said feeling ashamed and slightly embarrassed.

"No, whadja do?" Sam giggled again.

"Oh, nothing, I was just wondering." Kandice sighed with relief, washing out the last of her shampoo and turning off the water. Samantha did the same and they both came out at the same time, running back into the bunkroom to grab their dresses.

Once their dresses and accessories were completely on and their make up in check, Kandice and Sam both excitedly ran out of the lodging house towards Meddahs. They were sure they were a little late, but it was fashionably late. The girls walked into the club and saw thousands of newsies on the ground, on the balcony, everywhere! Jack, Spot and the other newsie leaders all got ground seats, along with the leaders' friends. Skittery was sitting at a table nearest the stage and turned to the door to see Kandice and Sam come in. She looked beautiful. His mouth dropped and he stared at her with lust. She smiled, turning pink and coming over to him slowly. Sam was wearing a black tight dress she had borrowed from a friend. It stuck to her figure and made her look more full.

Sam had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was more tan skinned and had long curling eyelashes. She wasn't very graceful and hated dresses, as she was from Queens. She was a lot more boyish than Kandice was and she felt very uncomfortable and insecure about herself in her dress, although everyone knew she looked gorgeous. She sat down with Kandice and the boys and heads all turned her way. "Hiya boys" she said with a small smirk. "Anyone ceah ta dance?" She asked and every boy at the table stood up, volunteering themselves. Sam grabbed Race's hand and dragged him onto the dance floor where the band was playing. There were a couple of other couples up there as well.

Kandice sat down and smiled at Skittery again. He, himself, looked very handsome. Skittery bent down behind his chair and came back up with the most beautiful white rose. "Foah you, me lady." He said smiling and making fun of himself.

"Aw, Skittery. This is for _me?_" She took the rose and smelt it. Her eyes moving back over to Skittery and giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I love it. Thank you so much." She said. She looked around the room, checking the place out. It was beautiful! As she was looking around she caught Jack looking at her. She looked back at him and then he looked down making it apparent that he knew he had done something wrong, and that he missed her. She understood and she felt the same way, but she was there with Skittery and she couldn't just abandon him. She looked back over to look for Race and Sam, but she was gone and Race was sitting back at the table. "Race, what happened to Sam? I thought you two were dancing." She asked him still looking around for her.

"She said she had ta go take ceah a somethin, but she wouldn't tell me what." He said shrugging his shoulders and looking slightly sad.

"Im sure she'll be back." Kandice said patting Race on the shoulder, smiling.

Suddenly, a loud voice came booming through a loud speaker, frightening a couple of the newsies. "**Hello, and welcome to the Irvinnnnggg Theattterrr"** The newsies hooted and hollered making a loud cheer that sounded like a stadium. "**We are honored to serve you tonight and to introduce to you, the beautiful, talented, sweadish meadowlark, Medaaahhhhh."** suddenly music started to play and out came a beautiful woman that looked in her early 30's in a long, big, pink dress with a big feather in her hand. She had a beautiful voice and was beautiful herself.

_High times, Hard times, sometimes the living is sweet_

_and sometimes theres nothing to eat,_

_buttt I always land on my feet_

All the newsies were singing now and Kandice looked around. It was so unbelievable how many newsies were gathered in this one area. A lot of them were going to Jack and Spot, singing and talking with them. Skittery was singing too, putting his arm around Bumlets and looking at Kandice every once in a while. Once the song was over, Meddah walked off the stage and over to Jack, kissing him on the cheek. The whole group whistled and cheered and Jack's face lit up. Kandice got alittle angry, but remembered that Meddah was over 20. Meddah, then, made her way over to Kandice and grabbed her hand. Kandice's eyes widened and she had a confused look on her face. The newsies started going wild and Meddah whispered something in Kandice's ear. Kandice suddenly had a scared look on her face, like she was about to be killed. She got on stage and stood there, with her purple dress glittering in the overhead light. All the newsies went silent as they marveled at how beautiful she was. There were a couple of whistles before the two began.

_My lovie dovie baby_

_Ill coo hoo hoo for you_

Everyone listened to how beautiful her voice was and their mouths dropped. As the song went on, Kandice got more into it and started dancing around with Meddah, going up to newsboys and singing to them and sitting on their laps. The boys loved her, and so did Meddah. When the song ended the crowd went crazy and Kandice was surprised to see that they were givin gher a standing ovation. She put her arm up in the air and blew an enormous kiss to everyone before she curtsied. She waved as she got offstage and went down to the table again.

"WOW! Kandice, you have such a butiful voice. Why didn't cha tell us befoah?" Race asked while staring at her wide-eyed.

"I dunno. I guess I didn't think it was that important." She looked around and Jack was looking at her again, but this time he got up and started coming over to her. She turned the other way to make it look like she was uninterested and started talking to Skittery again.

"Hiya Kandice." he said putting his hand on the back of her chair. "Can we talk real fast? Outside?" He looked around the table at everyone and said his hello's, spit-shaking with a couple of them. Kandice squeezed Skittery's hand once before mouthing "_Ill be right back" _and walking outside with Jack. He put his hands in his pockets, the cute way he does when he's nervous or flirting. He looked down at the ground before saying what he needed to say. Kandice could tell he was trying to avoid saying sorry. "Listen, I don know what madju so mad befoah, so I don know what to apoligize about."

Kandice stood there staring at him with a stern look. "Then don't say anything if you don't know what your apologizing about." She turned to walk away but he took her arm and turned her back around.

"Wait." he said quickly. "Can you please tell me what I did den?" He looked blankly into her eyes. He looked tired and sad, almost like he was about to cry.

"I thought I was more than your friend that's all. I thought, you know since, that night...when we..you know..kisse-" Jack cut her off with a mind-blowing kiss, taking her by surprise. Her hands ran down his arm and fell into his handsholdingthem while they kissed, loving every minute of being with him again, outside in the nice weather. They broke away from each other breathing pretty heavily.

"Does dat answah yoah question?" he asked smiling and giving her one last small kiss before hugging her tightly for what felt like an eternity. "Lets get back in deah." Kandice started to follow him back into Irving hall.

"You know, I can't just leave Skittery dateless." She said smilingin her cute flirty way.

They walked back in to meet up with the others and saw that Meddah was still singing. "Oh and McLane." he said before she went back to take her seat with the boys. "Good singin, tanight, I gatta show ya sometin lata." He winked at her and walked back to her seat. Kandice had no idea what it might be, but if it was Jack's surprise, it could be anything!

* * *

Well that was a loooonngg chapter, thats why it took me so long. Sorry :- That song smile is not mine either. It's on my girl2 and gilbert grape…but Who knew Kandice had such a good voice? Jack and Kandice made up and thank the lord for that. But its weird how much interest Skittery is putting into Kandice lately, don't you think?... And whats this surprise Jack is gonna show Kandice!well we'll find out won't we? R&R please! 


	8. Popping the Question

Chapter 8

Popping the Question

After the big party at Meddah's everyone walked back in groups including Jack, Skittery and Kandice. They were all talking about how fun it was and Kandice's good voice, which made her blush with embarrassment. They were all just settling in and saying goodbye to Queens and Brooklyn as they walked into the Manhatten newsboys lodging house. One by one they passes Kloppman their 5 cents to stay the night and walked up the creeking stairs to the bunkroom. Jack held Kandice back from walking in and made sure everyone was gone before speaking.

Jack kissed her lightly. "Com on, time foah da saprise." he said whispering as hetied his bandana around her eyes. "Can you see?" he asked waving his hand in front of her face.

"No!" she said excited and anxious for the surprise.

"Good" he answered. He pulled her hand to a window at the end of the hallway. Kandice could feel a gust of wind and shivered.

"Are we going outside?" she asked trying to feel her way around. "Jack, why are we sneaking out? We could have just stayed out and come in later." Kandice said trying to knock some common sense into Jack. He opened the window and looked outside, checking to make sure the coast was clear. He first helped Kandice out the window, escorting her to the stairs. When they reached the top of the building, she could see it get brighter. "Jack?" she asked feeling skeptical.

"Ok..now!" he lifted the bandana off of her. Kandice opened her eyes to a beautifully lit roof filled with rose peddles all over the ground leading the way to a nicely furnished table for two. It had a small candle in the middle and napkins with very elegant dishes and glasses. He had a bottle of wine next to it and Mush was standing next to the wine in a butler suit smiling. Kandice stopped and put her hand to her mouth in utter shock.

"Jack?" She said like she was about to cry, her voice shaky and filled with disbelief. She walked toward the table, looking down at the rose peddles, trying not to step on any as she went along. Jack smiled and looked back at her as he grabbed her hand and escorted her over to the table. She looked at everything in awe as Jack went behind her chair and scooted it out for her. She smiled and sat down fixing her skirt before she did. She looked at Mush and smiled, this was one of the happiest days of her life. "Mush?" She said putting her hand to her mouth again as she chuckled. Mush rolled his eyes and opened the wine, pouring it gently and slowly into each of their glasses. Jack then sat down in his seat and looked at the beautiful girl sitting across the table from him.

"So whaddya tink?" He asked, opening out his arms and looking around at his hard work.

"It's beautiful, Jack. Really. I can't believe you did all this for _me._" Suddenly she heard some soft Jazz come into the background and looked around, not seeing where it was coming from. Mush shook out the napkins and laid them on their laps before walking away to get the entres. Jack smiled at her facial expression. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. She started to get a feeling inside her, like her heart wasn't pumping blood, but a deep urge. An urge to hug him, kiss him, even...love him. Suddenly, Mush came over with the food and layed it on the table very gently.

"Your dinner" Mush stated very English-like. Kandice smiled up at him and licked her lips.

"Mm looks delicious. Thank you so much Mush." Jack thanked him by hitting him in the arm and then went to dig in, but before he could, Kandice stopped him.

"Jack! What are you doing?"

Jack looked at Kandice in a confused way. "Uh eating?"

"You can't eat _yet. _We haven't said grace yet."

"Grace?" Jack asked. He saw Kandice put her head down and close her eyes with her hands laced together, so he did the same.

"Dear Lord, Thank you for putting this wonderful food on our plates, and for sending us Mush to serve it, and for sending us this wonderful meeting. God bless Mom and Dad and Elizabeth and Mark and Mary and William and god bless Skittery, and Race and Mush and Race and Sam and all of the Newsies that are out there today. But especially, god, please bless Jack." Suddenly Jack opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked so cute as she prayed for everyone one by one. He liked her so much and he knew he would ask her tonight, he just wasn't sure exactly when. He watched her as she kept praying for him. No one had ever done this for him before. Maybe she liked him too.

"Thank you for sending him to me and making me forget about all the bad things that have happened. Amen." She finished off and then went to eat her food. Jack kept looking at her and then smirked his cute, sexy smirk before doing the same. They talked about how their day went when they were in the "fight" and what the both did.

When they finished eating Mush took away the empty plates and Jack got up and walked over to Kandice's seat. "Would ya like ta dance wit me?" He asked her, politely taking her hand and kissing it like a gentlemen in a ball.

"Why, yes. I would love to." She said as she got up and walked over to an empty spot on the roof. They were slow dancing to a beautiful slow jazz song, but the radio was no where to be found. Jack took her right hand in his and slid his left arm around her waist. Kandice put her left hand on his shoulder. "Where did you learn to dance like this?" She asked him wondering why he wasn't stepping on her feet by now.

"My muddah taught me when she was still alive." he said looking down at her. He had one piece of hair dangling in his face. It made him look very cute.

"Were you and your mother very close?"

"Ya. We were." Jack looked down.

"Im so sorry Jack." Kandice took the piece of hair out of Jack face, but it fell back down.

"Its ok. It happens ya know?"

As they danced, the stars began getting brighter and brighter. They had been dancing for about 20 minutes when Jack finally looked down at Kandice and looked deeply into her eyes. He hadn't done it in so long that he had almost forgotten how beautiful they were. "Kandice..ya know how we've been 'datin' kinda?" Kandice giggled and nodded. "Well, would you wanna..you know..be my goil oah sometin?" he said still looking at her. You could tell that her reaction was very important to him. "Cause I mean, I really like ya and yoah da best ting dats happened ta me ina while."

Kandice put her hand to his cheek. They were still dancing and Mush had gone downstairs a while back. They were alone on a beautiful roof, on a beautiful night. It was the perfect setting for popping the question. She smiled at him and rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand gently. "Of course I will, Jack. I would love nothing more." She smiled and then leaned up to kiss him. He started kissing her back with all the love that he could give. Suddenly he picked her up in a hug and spun her around. She screamed and hit him playfully. When he let her down they were both panting with happiness and Jack gave her one last sweet kiss on the lips to make it official.

"Hey! Get down for here!" The two heard a yell coming from the Emergency stairs and they quickly turned.

* * *

Isn't that swweetttt. So Kandice is Jack's Girl huh? I wonder what you know who will think about this.NAD WHAT or who was that yell coming from. uh oh! in trouble? I dont think their supposed to be up there.Thank you for everyone who has been reviewing. It really helps and motivates me and I just like getting them. But don't stop now, keep doin it. Lol and here's a hint to next chapter.

hint: uh oh! Someone'ss b day is coming up. A really good present in store! Look at that. And also S's reaction to Jack and Kandice's relationship.

more ideas? review them.


	9. The Big Surprise

Chapter 9

Jealousy and Pain

_Well thank god you guys are reviewing! I was very excited when I saw that people were. YAYYY for the reviewers, pats each of you on the back_ and _**CinnamonSpice** Yeah..like Mush could be anything BUT hot. Hehe. Hope you like this chapter! _

The two turned toward the emergency steps to see Race laughing his butt off. They both let out a big sigh of relief to see that it was only a joke. "Race, yoah gonna get a good soakin when I get ova thea." Jack threatened making Race squirm.

"Oh please don't hoit me, pleaassee." Race mocked with his hands shaking in the air. He laughed a second time and turned around, walking down the steps. The two heard him completely disappear into the lodging house and turned back toward each other, rolling their eyes and smiling.

"What a night." Kandice said to Jack. This was a moment she would never forget, the moment where she knew she was becoming one of the family.

"So, whea ah me and my goil gonna go tamarra ta celabrate?" he asked grabbing her by her waist and pulling her toward him with his hot smirk again.

"Where ever you wanna go is fine with me, but I have a question." She said with a curious look on her face. "When exactly did you start liking me Jack?"

"To be honest" He paused. "From da foist day I saw you on da train." he smiled at her and pecked her on the lips before taking her hand and walking down the stairs to the lodging house.

* * *

That night Kandice slept like a baby. Knowing that Jack was just beneath her gave her a safe, care free sleep. Kandice felt a shake and opened her eyes to see Skittery standing near her bunk trying to wake her with his whispering voice. "Kandice" he whispered a little louder this time.

"What? What are you doing Skittery? It's..." Kandice looked at the clock on the wall. "It's 3 o' clock in the morning!"

"Shh. I know, I really jus needed ta set somethin straight." he whispered, looking down at Jack's bed to make sure he hadn't awoken him. Kandice stared at him waiting for the question that was _so _important he couldn't wait till morning. He could tell she was grouchy at night, but he also understood that it was 3 in the morning so, he decided to just go right ahead with his feelings. He was nervous, but he couldn't sleep all night. It was bothering him more then anything had before. "I just had ta know from you... Ah...Ah you an Jack a couple?" He asked looking into the dark at nothing in particular. He couldn't see anything never mind her face. It was just their voices that connected them to each other.

She was silent for a moment before she answered. "Yes." She answered. She wanted to sound confident and sure of herself in her answer, but it came out more like a scared, disappointing answer. She didn't want to hurt him, as much as she liked Jack. Suddenly the air went silent and Kandice couldn't hear Skittery anymore. "Skitts?" she whispered. The air went silent again. Kandice felt around trying to find his head. Her hands suddenly hit his soft, cute hair and she moved her hands down his face, almost comforting him, her hands graced over his forehead and then down to his eyes, they were closed, but right underneath were tears. Skittery was crying and she didn't know what to do, or how to help him. "I'm so sorry Skitts." She whispered and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "But you should go to bed." She could feel him waiting for her to get up and hug him, embrace him, do something, but she stayed right where she was, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Skittery turned around with his eyes watering up again. He didn't want to be this vulnerable about someone, but he was, and he hated it. She was the only girl that made him feel this way. He plopped down in his bed, and stared up at the ceiling for a couple of minutes before taking a deep breath, wiping his eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning, everything was normal. Kloppman woke everyone up with his loud yelling and cane banging, everyone got up, got dressed and went out to sell their papes. Skittery hadn't made much contact with anyone that day and was purposefully avoiding Kandice. She felt so bad, but she knew she had done the right thing and told him to go to bed. She wanted the whole thing to blow over, but she couldn't stand Skittery being mad at her. She sold with Jack that day and was pleased with her profits. She had sold double what she normally did and sold every one of them.

Jack and Kandice were surprisingly the only one's walking to Tibby's. There were no other newsies like there usually was. "Where is everyone?" Kandice asked looking around.

"Maybe we're late" Jack considered. The two went down to Tibby's to meet everyone. When they were outside the restaurant, Jack smiled mischievously at her.

"What are you up to, Jack?" Kandice looked at him skeptically.

"Nuttin. I ain't up ta nuttin." He opened the door for her and the lights were out. She looked back at Jack with an utterly confused face and looked back. Suddenly, the lights turned on and all the newsies jumped up into the air.

"SURPPRRIISEEE!" They screamed, almost making the building shake and collapse. Kandices' mouth dropped open and she smiled.

"Oh my god!" She looked around the room and saw all of the Manhatten newsies, Spot and Sam. "I'm speachless" She went to each of her very close friends, who were in the front, and hugged them all. "I don't know what to say."

"Say we can eat!" someone yelled from behind everyone and there was a small wave of laughter.

"We can eat!" she said chuckling to herself. Everyone went to dig into the food and cake that said "Happy Birthday Kandice" and had musical notes on it. She looked back at Jack smiling and shook her head at him. "Jack, why would you do this?" She was kissing him over and over after every other word.

"Cause it's yoah birthday. Why wouldn't I? Miss 17. Yoah my age now huh?" He said winking at her and smiling.

"Yeah, I am." She kissed him on the cheek. "Now, you don't have to use the phony excuse that you let me win fights cause I'm younger." She laughed at him and grabbed his hand, pulling him over to go sit with the group.

Skittery watched Kandice kiss Jack and felt himself fill with jealousy. It should be_ him_ kissing her and _him_ throwing her a big surprise party. He should have told her sooner how he felt.

"Skitts!" Race yelled, slapping him playfully across the face. "Come on buddy, dig in." Skittery turned back around and grabbed some cake and started talking to the boys again.

"So when youse came ovah, I was actually kissin her, not attackin er'."Everyone burst out laughing, including Kandice. She was having the time of her life with the people she loved. What a night. After everyone sang happy birthday and gave her their small gifts Kandice stood up on her chair.

"I just want everyone to know that this has been the best birthday yet and thank you so much for coming. I couldn't have asked for better friends, so thank you all." Everyone "awed" and clapped for her. Kandice got back down off the chair and sat down again.

"The night's not ovah yet." Jack whispered in her ear. They waved goodbye to everyone and went out the door.

"Where are we going, Jack?" she asked him over and over, but he never answered her.

"If yoah gonna keep askin, I'm jus gonna keep ignorin you so.." he laughed. Kandice suddenly saw them coming up to a lake. Not the same lake she had seen the first time, but a different one. There was a bench and a dock going out towards the water. They sat down on the bench and looked out towards the water.

"This is beautiful Jack." She said shivering from the cold. Jack noticed she was shivering and took off his coat and comfortably put it on her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to keep her warm. She looked up at him and smiled. She was so happy. He bent down, while his arm was still around her, and started to kiss her again. They got even deeper into the kiss and Jack ran his fingers through her hair again, sliding his other hand on her cheek. This time, Kandice started using her tongue, but with more confidence and urgency. There was so much passion in the kiss, they couldn't help but fall more and more in for each other. Jack pulled away from the kiss and looked straight into her eyes. They were both panting and smiling slightly.

"Why'd you stop?" She asked, with much concern.

"Well, one, I hadta catch my breath." she giggled and turned pink. "And two, I hadta tell you about yoah gift."

"Gift?"

"Yes, gift" he smirked. Kissing her all over her face playfully.

She laughed loudly. "Jack, stop! Hahaha!" he stopped and looked into her eyes one last time, then jumped up quickly off the bench.

"Come on, lets go getcha gift!" he pulled her up by her hand and started running back to the lodging house.

Once they got there all of the newsies were playing a poker game and laughing like the loud selves they were. Jack took her to go talk to Kloppman. "Distract her foah like 2 minutes while I run and check everythin out." he whispered to the old man. Kloppman winked at him and nodded. He left the two to talk and he ran up the stairs.

He called Race, Blink, Mush, Boots, and Skittery to help him with the gift and they quickly got up and ran with him down the hall.

"So I was talkin to the boy and he seemed to be hurtin real bad, and I didn't know what to do so I..." Kloppman's voice got softer and softer until it was completely blocked out. She started to think about what Jack had in store for her. She was anxious to find out what kind of crazy escapade he was up to now. He was so sweet and she couldn't have asked for anyone better. She was still pretty confused about Skittery though. She wanted him to stop being mad, but she knew that was out of the question until he finally accepted that they couldn't be together. "...And so dhat's how I got into dis business. It was pure kindness and nurtur-"

"Tanks Kloppman" Jack raced down the stairs and grabbed Kandice's hand. Once they were at the top of the stairs he smiled at her and took a deep breath. "Ok, Im gonna blindfold you again." He took off his bandana and put it around her eyes. She suddenly couldn't hear anything and started to feel around for Jack.

"Jack?" She said trying to look around, but having no luck. She felt someone grab her hand and lead her down the hall. He brought her into a room, which she assumed was the bunk room and then let her go.

"Okay." He said. "Walk straight." She did as she was told and walked straight ahead with her arms out in front of her. She soon hit her knee on something soft and put her hands down feeling a blanket beneath her fingers.

"Can I take this off now?" She asked, turning around to where she thought Jack was, but was actually very far from him.

He laughed. "Yeah, you kin take it off" Kandice lifted her blindfold and let out a large gasp.

"Oh my goodness, Jack!" She screamed.

_

* * *

__So I hope you liked that chapter..very suspenseful huh? Yes siree. So Skittery didn't take the news too well. Poor Lad. What a great B day. I wish I could have all the newsies surprise me like that. Well I also wish Jack Kelley was my boyfriend, but thats another story. R&R pleaseee!_

_Hint for Chapter 10: Whats the Surprise gift that Jack is showing Kandice? What will happen between Skitts and Kandice? Some mind blowing news comes to not only the newsies, but all of new york!_


	10. Huge News!

Chapter 10

Huge News!

_Thanks for reviewing some more guys, I really appriciate it. It makes me think people _are_ reading my story muaha. Anyways, hope you like, I loved writing this one, so I think you'll have fun reading it. Now ONNN TO THE STORRYY:_ (preview) Jack has just shown Kandice her surprise b day presie and she is just seeing it now...ohhhh!

* * *

"Jack! _This_ is absolutely _amazing_!" She looked around at her new, fully furnished, astonishingly decorated new room. It had her princess sheets on her new queen sized bed, all of her clothes in a newly made dresser, a vanity, and a beautiful jewelry station to put all of her necklaces and bracelets. Her dresses and skirts were all hung up, and right underneath were her hundreds of shoes lined up neatly. On her dresser was the most beautiful gift anyone could give her. It was a picture of her mom and dad on their wedding day. They looked so happy and in love. As Kandice looked at them, her eyes started to tear up and she smiled at Jack.

"Jack..." She ran over to him and jumped on him giving him a big hug. "How did you find that picture?" She asked him.

"I got it from a soace." He smiled.

Jack hugged her tightly, It made him happy knowing he had made her even happier. "And how did you find the money to pay for all this? We both know you don't have it." She giggled.

Jack glared at her with a "watch it" face and pointed his finger at her. "Don't worry bout it. Les jus say I pulled a few strings." He smiled at her and kissed her once before walking over to the bed. He sat down and bounced up and down. "Dis is pretty comftable. I tink I'll be in hea a few nights, huh?" He, then, lie down on it and spread out his arms, taking a deep sigh and closing his eyes. Kandice looked at herself in the vanity, fixing her hair. She opened the drawer to find all of her blush and makeup products. She took them out and placed them on the vanity neatly in their perfect places. She took a deep sigh and looked at the reflection staring back at her one last time, when suddenly she saw Jack's reflection creep up behind hers.

"Hey." She said smiling at him.

"Hey." He put his arms around the top of her so that his arms were over her shoulders, hugging her neck. They looked at themselves together in the mirror. "Ya know, we makes a pretty good couple. Dontcha tink?" He smiled and kissed her on the top of her head. As she looked in the mirror, she realized that when she used to look in her mirror at home, she would see a lonely, confused, mislead young girl that would never be on her own, but now, she saw a beautiful, well kept, girl with a wonderful relationship. Jack seemed to make the other side of her. Almost like half of her was there, until Jack showed up. The two of them together made up one person, and that's how it was supposed to be the whole time. Jack was the one for her, and she knew it right from that point.

"We sure do." She replied. She turned her head so the couple were face to face. She gave him a sweet kiss and put her arms in back of her to hold his hands. Looking back into the mirror she said, "Thank you so much for this Jack. I couldn't have thought of a better present." She kissed him again and looked at his reflection. He was so cute and she was positive she had fallen in love with him. They _were _perfect together and she wouldn't want anything to happen to them, it was the perfect relationship. Suddenly they heard 3 loud knocks at the door and Jack went over to the door to open it.

"And lookit dis, already people ah comin in to look at my butiful work." She smiled at the suspense of who was at the door. Mush, Skittery, and Race came in right as he opened it and looked around.

"Wow, Jacky-boy can_ I_ be yoah goil too?" Race sarcastically asked. They walked around looking at everything. "You really went all out on dis one. Tha postahs, the dressah. When did you have time foah alla dis?"

"When you'se was all sleepin, dats when." He said feeling a new proud feeling wash over him.

"You did all this when we were sleeping, Jack?" She asked with a surprised look. "That's so sneaky! I would have never suspected a thing." She kissed him again and Skittery tried to turn away subtly, but Kandice seemed to notice how uncomfortable Skittery was, so she let go of Jack's waist and pretended to look around. She went over to her dresser and looked at all of her clothes. Skittery walked over to try and explain himself.

"Hey." He said sadly.

"Hi Skittery, how ya feeling?" She asked, concerned. She was trying to kill him with kindness. She just wanted him to forgive her and move on.

"Eh, okay I guess. Nice room." he said. Kandice swore she saw a smirk when he said that.

"Thank you. I'm really happy about it too. He did sucha good job, my man." She was smiling at Jack while he talked to the boys. Skittery looked back at Jack then back at Kandice.

"Yeah...well, nice talkin to ya." he said turning around.

"Skits...don't go." She grabbed his arm as he was leaving. He looked down at the ground like a dog who had just been scolded. "Listen, I know why your mad at me and I can't do anything about it. I thought we had something too, but then Jack started talking to me more and more and..." She paused looking at the sad expression on his face. "Listen, he started to grow on me. Im sorry if I hurt you, you know that's not what I intended to do at all, but if _you_ do, I would love to still be friends." She smiled at him and hoped for the best.

Skittery stared at her for a long minute before smiling slightly. "Yeah, I _guess _that's ok." he said sarcastically. He pulled her arm in for a big hug. He loved the feeling of her arms around him, keeping him safe from harm. He knew that she couldn't be his, but he would try his hardest to keep her close. "Tanight, meet me on the roof, I havta tell ya somethin." He whispered.

She looked at him with a questioning look and then nodded as he walked back to the boys. "Alright, everyone out! I wanna get changed for bed." Everyone groaned and started to leave, laughing about a joke they played on Jack a while back. When Jack started to leave she pulled his sleeve and waited till everyone left. "Except for you, Jacky-boy." She smirked seductively making Jack laugh nervously. She turned him around and pushed him to the bed, making him fall on the soft princess sheets. She straddled him, putting each of her legs on either side of him and leaned down to kiss him. They got into making out and Jack rolled her over so that he was on top now, with his legs on one side of her. They pulled away for a second so that Kandice could back up onto her pillows and then went at it again. Jack started to kiss her neck and she could feel her heart going a thousand beats per minute. She started to breathe heavily, smiling. While kissing her neck, he took off her shirt, and threw it to the floor. He then started kissing her stomach and unbuttoning her pants as she dug her fingers lightly into his bare back. She could feel that it was getting pretty heavy. She wanted to go further, but she didn't want to end up regretting anything. Her and Jack had only been seeing each other for a day now. She lifted his head up to look at her.

"We should stop."

"Why?" Jack was panting and looking at her with his light eyes. His gorgeous face was so hard to say no to, but she knew she had to.

"Because I don't want this to get too far, and I honestly don't trust myself with you right now." He slumped down with his forehead on her stomach and took a deep breath. Then not looking at her, he slowly lifted himself up. He had such a nice stomach and his body was to die for, but she just had to contain herself. She was too young and she couldn't bring herself to do it now.

"I'm gonna go ta bed, night." He started to leave, without a kiss or anything.

"Well I didn't mean you had to leave." she giggled.

"Yeah, but '_I honestly don't trust myself with you right now'_ He said mocking her to get his point across. With a stern, serious face he stared at her for a little, looked down, and then slowly left as he put his shirt back on.

When Jack left the room Kandice looked around. "What the hell just happened?" Deciding she would go meet Skits, she got up out of her bed and looked at herself once in her mirror before leaving her room. She looked around once before walking to the window at the end of the hall and climbing up the emergency stairs to the roof.

Standing up there brought her back to last night, when Jack had asked her out as they danced romantically to the soft music. That memory made her think about what had just happened and she suddenly felt angry with Jack. Was he mad at her because she wouldn't go further with him? She looked around until she finally saw Skittery, looking at the view of the city with his hands in his pockets. When he heard her come up onto the gravel, he turned around to see her beautiful, almost shining face.

He smiled at her and ran over with great urgency in his step "Can we please talk about tha mistake yoah makin?" he said, with his intense green eyes radiating at her.

She slightly laughed thinking he was joking, then seeing that he wasn't, toughened up and replied, "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what im talkin bout"

"Skits, I'm so confused, I thought we went over this. I thought we were just friends." She gave him a confused look, like she was worried about him.

"It's not gonna end like dat. I know ya love me Kandice, I know ya do, yoah jus too scahed to admit it. You wanna be wit me too!" Kandice looked around making sure no one could hear him.

"Skits, Im with Jack, and you know that's not gonna change right now."

"Listen ta me." Kandice looked around one more time with her hand over her mouth, scared that someone would overhear them. "Just, listen!" he said with what seamed like he wanted to get everything out in a matter of seconds. It wasn't forceful, but gentle in a way He pulled her back to face him. "When I foist saw you dat foist day, an you looked at me, I didn' know what ta do I was so dumbstruck. Listen!" He said getting her focus back on him. She would look around, wanting to avoid his eye contact, she couldn't be strong with someone so close to her in this kind of state. "An we had da best ting befoah. Do you rememba dat? Do you rememba how great dat was?" Kandice started to cry thinking about how much she had hurt Skittery. "No, please don't cry." he said drying off her tears. He pulled her in again for a strong hug that showed Kandice that he needed her. He separated himself from her quickly, looked deep into her eyes and kissed her. Right on the lips, on top of the roof, he kissed her. He backed away with a shocked look on his face. Kandice didn't know what to say, but stood there very still with her mouth slightly open.

"Skits..." Her eyes looked sad and confused.

"Yeah, I know." He looked down, almost ashamed for giving in so quickly.

"Skits..." She said again

"_Yeah_ I _know_" he replied again. He didn't know what to do at this point. Should he kiss her again? What would she do? He slowly walked back over to her and tilted his head slightly to the right and leaned in again, this time gently, just as Kandice liked to be kissed with love and care.

Kandice didn't know what came over her, but before she knew it, she was kissing him right back. She forgot about everything and just kissed him. She put her hand on the back of his neck and he shivered with the amazing feeling of her caring for him too. He knew he shouldn't be doing this to Jack, but right now, he was willing to take the risk of getting soaked for a girl he loved so much

He had fallen for Kandice. He had fallen bad. After kissing for about 5 minutes they separated themselves from each other with their eyes slowly opening to face what could get them into the biggest trouble in the future and they knew it. Skittery slightly smiled at her and played with her hair gently, making Kandice take his hand from her hair and putting it on her face, rubbing her soft, rosy cheek against it.

"We shouldn't have done that." Kandice said softly.

"Yea...but we did. And you did, and thats exactly how I know that you _do_ love me. Dontcha?" He asked.

"Skits, Kandice, you guys up dea?" They heard Blink calling them from the window.

"Yeah weah right hea." Skittery answered back wondering what all the commotion was about.

"Get down hea, quick!" he yelled for them. Skittery grabbed Kandice's hand and they both ran down from the roof, into the lodging house. They heard the radio blasting from the lobby downstairs where all of the newsies were gathered around Kloppman.

" _We are offically declaring war against Russia on this most memorable day. We have just received notification that the Russian embacy might possibly be having plans to attack the United States. Nothing is too serious as of now, but we will take precautions to make sure we are not part of their attacking plans. Unfortunately we do not have enough troops to go over without any worry, so furthermore, we will be drafting within the next couple of da-" _Kloppman turned off the radio. He didn't want the broadcast to scare the boys. He knew that some of them would probably need to go to this war, and he didn't want to make them start panicking.

"Heya, Kloppman, why'd you do dat huh?" Mush asked demandingly.

"Alright boys," he looked at Kandice and winked, "and girls" off to bed. The boys got up in the big heap they were sitting in and dragged their tired selves up the stairs and into the bunk room. Kandice saw Jack looking at her and she had an eerie feeling he knew about the kiss, but he would have soaked Skittery by then, so she didn't think anything of it. _He must be still mad about me turning him down_, she thought.

"Jack?" She said catching up to him. "Can we _please_ talk about what happened." Skittery was just about to go talk to Kandice after he heard the news, but saw she was running towards Jack, and turned around walking back with the boys.

_What if she's tellin him what happened. I'll be screwed foah shoah_, Skittery thought to himself. _Jack'll have every newsie in da city afta me. _He followed the boys upstairs and started talking to Race about the drafting.

"Whats thea ta talk bout? Im _obviously_ not good enough foah ya." he said turning around like he was about to leave.

"Jack, you know thats not true." She looked at him with disbelief. How could he be so selfish? "You know you're the only one that's right for me. I didn't mean to hurt you..." _Wait, why do _I_ feel bad about this, there's no reason for him to be mad at me. This is bull shit. _" but you should also learn to respect the people who you love. Or atleast I thought you loved." Kandice didn't want him to see her start to cry, but he did and he didn't go after her as she went up the stairs in a fit. He just watched her go like the coward he was.

Kandice slammed the door to her room and ran onto her bed, crying into her pillow. She picked up the picture of her parents and looked at it, making her cry even more at the memory of them. "How could you leave me like this? How could you BOTH leave me here to rot! I hate you! I hate you so much!" She cried even harder and threw the picture on the ground, making the glass shatter everywhere. Jack was outside the door about to go in and apologize before he heard Kandice screaming. She had never let him in on how much she missed her parents. When he heard the glass shatter, he ran in and first saw the picture on the floor, then Kandice punching her pillow with all of the anger she had bottled up inside of her. He ran over to her and held her arms trying to get her to stop punching, but she kept trying although Jack was much stronger than she was. He turned her around and she started to punch him in the chest, not caring where, but just punching. He pulled her into a hug so that her arms couldn't move anymore and he closed his eyes comforting her with his voice.

"Kandice...Kandice it's ok. Shhh, it's alright, yoah ok, I'm hea." He comforted. He had never seen her like this and he, himself, started to tear up, but he knew he had to stay strong for this girl. The girl he kissed, and the girl he now _loved._

* * *

_Hoped you liked it. I loved writing this chapter, with the decieving and the hippicrocy, so intruiging. Woohoo. So tell me what you think about it. Good, bad, awful, superb! annnddd like always, I have to give you the hint to the next chapter, and let me tell you, it's a very eventful one at that. _

_Hint: Will Jack find out about what happened? The Drafting's are starting who will go? And What happens with Skittery and Kandice...its all next, so keep reading and reviewing ;-)_

_-Nini_


	11. Jack finds out

Chapter 11

Jack finds out.

_This was fun to write too. Thanks for the reviews, and no America didn't really declare war on Russia at this time, but that's what fan**fiction** is anyways…right? But I hope you all like this one, I thought it was a very dramatic filled one. ENJOY_

Kandice was in the last stages of her crying fit at about 10:30 that night. Jack was playing with her hair and comforting her. Kandice's eyes were rimmed with red and there were bags under her eyes. Her parents' picture was shattered on the floor beside them and Jack knew Kandice would wake in the morning with much regret. Sighing, he looked around at the room he had created for her and was making mental notes of things he could improve. When he finally knew Kandice was asleep, he got up out of the bed cautiously, and swept all of the glass from the hard, wooden floor, throwing it in the trash and placing the picture neatly into his cowboy hat that was lying comfortably next to his bunk. He, then, tip toed back into the bed with Kandice, put his arm beneath her, and fell asleep.

The next morning, Jack felt soft kisses covering his face. "Wake up sweety" Kandice softly and carefully, kissing his lips and cheek. He loved feeling her sweet smell of old perfume and rose-smelling shampoo seep down into his lungs.

"Hey, feelin bettah?" he acknowledged.

"Yes, much. Thank you for last night Jack. I think I probably would have cried myself to sleep if you hadn't helped me." She chuckled

"Like ya have been doin everynight since ya gaht hea?" He accused. He had heard her from his, and he knew she thought no one could hear her.

Kandice started fiddling with her quilt that hung limply off of her bed feeling ashamed and embarrassed. She swallowed "You heard me."

"Yeah I did." he looked at her concerned. "Kandice, what's goin on, Why ah you so dapressed?" Kandice fell silent, trying not to have eye contact. "Come on babe, you kin tell me. It's _me _fa chrisakes."

Kandice nodded. "I know, I just would rather not talk about it." She looked at him for reassurance.

Jack looked at her making sure she was stable. "Ok, as long as yoah ok"

"Yeah, Jack, I'm fine, don't worry about me." she giggled

"Well I haveta dats my job." he smiled and kissed her sweetly on the lips. After making the bed and flirtingly playing around, the two set out for another day of selling but, surprisingly, on their way down, Kloppman stopped all of the newsies and told them they had the next couple of days off because of the war.

"Wanna go down ta da docks?" He asked Kandice. "I wanna spend some quality time wit my goil." he said, putting his arm around her.

"Yeah, sure. I need to get away from everyone."

The two walked down to the pier and sat on the bench. They talked about everything, Kandice telling Jack about her mom and dad and how she was brought up, and Jack telling her how his parents died and past relationships he's had. Once Jack asked Kandice about her boyfriends, she completely froze up.

"Boyfriends? Uh, I didn't have any boyfriends." She turned away pretending to get distracted by something behind her.

"Ofcoase ya did, McClane, don lie. You know ya probably hadda bunch." He said jokingly.

"Well, there is this one guy th-"

"Wait, _is_, as in still is?" Jack interrupted, getting slightly defensive.

"Well, the thing is, it never really started _or_ ended. It kind of just…..lingered when I left." Kandice tought about Mark as she explained the relationship.

"So theas a chance he could come back foah you?"

"Well, I doubt that. I mean, he's probably moved on from me and has like 20 more now." She laughed and looked out at the water.

After a slight pause Jack broke the silence, "Kandice, I'se gots somethin ta tell ya." Jack said looking out towards the water after her. She looked at him with admiration on her face and smiled with benevolence. "Well, I been feelin dis foah a while and I tought I should tell ya dat..." After silence had come over them for a couple of seconds while Jack built up his courage, Kandice grabbed his hand and pulled him up running towards the water. She knew what he was trying to say, but she couldn't let him say it because not only was she scared for him to say it to her, but that would mean she would have to tell him about her and Skittery.

"What da hell ah you doin!" Jack asked as he was being pulled to the dock.

"Come on, we're going swimming." They got to the edge of the dock and Kandice jumped into the water splashing everything in a 5 foot radius. Realizing they were in their clothes made it even more of a rush for her. Kandice heard Jack splash in as she was underwater. She came up her lungs pleasurably filling with fresh oxygen. She looked around, but Jack wasn't coming up from the water.

"Jack!" She called, looking under the water several times, but saw no sign of him. Just as she started to panic, Kandice was lifted into the air from the water, the cold air scorthing her skin making her scream from the chill. "Jackk" she said before making a loud screech and plummeting back into the water. She grasped for air, cracking up and treading the water. After wiping her eyes, she saw that Jack was underneath the dock. There was a block-type mound underneath the water that he had apparently been standing on, making him look as if he were floating. Kandice swam over to the block and joined him.

"Hey" she said being so close to him, they were practically touching.

"Hey" he answered and they started to laugh. Jack slowly moved in, and Kandice could tell he was about to kiss her. She leaned it towards him and their lips touched with no regard to the war or the world. Jack cupped his hands around her jaw and kissed her more aggressively, making Kandice feel a little uncomfortable. She adjusted herself so she could be in sync with him, but he started getting more aggressive. His hand started going up her shirt slowly and she could feel he was starting to get fresh. She tried to putting it down, but he forced it and started touching her aggressively.

"Jack, stop, now!" She tried getting him off of her but he wouldn't and kept grabbing her. "Stoppit!" her eyes started to burn and she could tell she was about to cry. She was scared. He had never done anything like this before to her and she never thought he would. "Why are you doing this!" She cried.

Suddenly Jack stopped and backed away a little. "Because da goil dat I tought I loved, went and kissed onea my best friends. What does dat tell ya?" He stared her blankly in the eyes for a couple minutes as Kandice sat there in awe. She didn't know what to say, but just started to cry again.

"How did...How did you find out?" She asked softly.

"One a da newsboys caught you two out on da roof. How could you do dis to me? I jus can't believe you didn't even tell me. Nice goil I have, huh?" He said starting to swim back to the dock.

"Jack, wait." She pleaded. Jack turned around and waited for her explanation, raising his eye brows with impatience. Kandice was silent.

Jack shook his head in disappointment and turned around towards the shore, but before getting completely out of sight, he turned around once more and looked into her watery, agitated eyes. "Oh and by da way, I was drafted." He then turned around and left.

Kandice stood there in shock, not saying nor doing anything. Not even crying. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Had Jack really been drafted? She didn't come out of the water that seeped into her skin until about a half hour after, when it had started to chill her bones. She sat on the dock and cried that whole day, looking out to the water and thinking about her parents and Jack and everything that had happened. She heard footsteps coming behind her and she had a small feeling of hope arise in her.

"Jack?" She asked, turning around with a smile, but it wasn't Jack, Skittery came up behind her with an annoying smile on his face. "Oh.." She said with a sulk.

"Hey, you'se ok?" Skittery asked sitting down next to her on the dock. "Yoah all wet, what happened?"

"Nothing!" She screamed. She could tell Skittery wasn't expecting that on account of he jumped when she yelled at him. "My perfect relationship, everything about it, is gone because of you! My life is over! And on top of that, my boyfriend, or should I say _ex_- boyfriend has been drafted to the fucking war." She cried.

"Jack was drafted!" Skittery asked with much surprise.

"Oh believe me, you won't want to see _him_ right now, you wanna know why?"

"Oh no, ya toldim?" Skittery scrunched his nose in suspense.

"You were _watched_." She said in an devilish whisper. "I knew we were being watched, I _knew_ it." She yelled at him, which wasn't helping the situation much. Skittery didn't know what was coming over her and it scared him.

"Whataya talkin bout, Kandice?" He touched her shoulder.

"Don't touch me! You know perfectly well what I'm 'talkin bout'" She mocked back at his concerned face. "One of the newsies was watching you while you told me that you loved me and all that crap."

"It wasn't crap, and it still isn't. I do lov-" before Skittery could finish, Kandice slapped him across the face, leaving a bright red mark. Once she had seen what she had done she sat there in horror with her hand over her mouth. She never thought she would ever do that to someone so sweet. What had she turned in to? Skittery was just trying to comfort her.

"Skitts..." She said softly, still unsure of what she had just done. Skittery took her hand off of him and stood up quickly. He shook his head and looked into her eyes with pure terror. She had never seen his eyes like that. It was like a cold hatred. The kind you saw when you looked in the eyes of your enemy. "Skittery, Im sorry I don't know what..." but just in the middle of her sentence, Skittery was walking away. _He_ was walking away from _her._ "I'm a monster" she said to herself, as she noticed she was alone on the docks once again.

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"Whea ishe!" Jack asked Race and Blink as they were walking back from Tibby's.

"Who?" they both asked in unison.

"Skitts, whea da hell is dat punk, im gonna soakem." Jack was looking around drastically.

"He's not hea Jack. Why? What da hell is goin on?" Race asked grabbing Jack's shoulders and trying to get eye contact. Suddenly Mush ran over to the guys grasping for air.

"Race, Blink, Jack, theah doin moah draftin..." They all looked at each other with terrified looks on their faces. "Right NOW!" Mush yelled they all ran back together into the lodging house and saw all of the newsies gathered there. Jack looked around but didn't see Skittery anywhere so, he stood next to the boys and listened. He knew he was going already from when they called his birthday last night, he was hoping he would at least have one of his mates with him.

_The second round of drafting will begin after this speech from the president. _

The president suddenly came on and was explaining the rules and directions.

_The second round of drafting will be shortly. Everyone who is drafted will need to report to each of your designated military bases in your state. We will explain where it is in each state after the drafting has taken place. We have taken..._

Just ask the drafting was about to begin, Skittery came walking in the door looking around with a distressed expression, like he had been punched in the face. Jack hit Mush, indicating that he would be right back and walked over to Skittery. Once he had gotten to him he pushed him out the door, where Skittery fell back through the door and onto the ground.

"Well if it isn't da perpatratah himself." Jack gave Skittery a devilish smirk, walking in circles around him. "Da one who _haddd_ to kiss me goil, right as we was togeda. You piece a shit." He kicked Skittery while he was on the ground, making Skittery cough and turn over having only his elbows holding him up. Skittery had trouble, but he slowly got himself up off of the ground and looked at Jack face to face. "Oh lookat dis, we got oahselves a tough guy." Jack push Skittery again, but this time Skittery was shoved back, but didn't fall. He walked right back up to Jack.

_"April 17th, 1913" _The radio announced, as the boys were fighting they heard one of the newsies yell and run out the door. "God damnit!" Suddenly, he saw Jack and Skittery fighting and he stopped to watch.

"Ya know she wanted me moah den you. Dats why ya felt so jealous all da time, ya knew she loved me moah." Skittery said looking Jack right in the eyes and pushed him right back, making Jack fall back slightly, but not as much as Skittery had. Jack went in to punch Skittery in the face, but Skittery ducked just as soon as it was coming, making Jack miss and stumble. Skittery got back up and used all his strength to punch Jack right in the mouth. Jack fell to the ground. He lifted his head and stared at Skittery in disbelief before he felt his lip with his fingers and looked at them. He was bleeding.

"You fuckin.." Jack got up and tackled Skittery to the floor and they started rolling around. At one point, Jack got on top of Skittery and punched him twice, swearing at him for stabbing him in the back. Suddenly Kloppman came outside after hearing the commotion and split the boys up.

"Thats enough!" Kloppman yelled. The boys had never heard him yell like that, except for in the mornings, but not like this. He stared at both of the boys one after another and pointed his cane at both of them. "Now, what's going on here? You boys used to be the best of friends, what happened?"

Panting, Jack and Skittery looked at each other for a minute or two with hateful looks before Jack turned and went into the lodging house to listen to the radio. By this time, all of the newsies were outside looking at the fight. When Jack went in, Mush, Blinks, and Race followed, giving Skittery one last evil glare before entering behind him. There was immense silence for a couple seconds before the radio was heard.

_October 18th 1913_. The radio stated. Just as Skittery heard his birthday he stood in shock right before falling to hands and knees in exhaustion. Everyone watched in horror at what had just happened, and then slowly went back into the lodging house to await their fate.

_So I hope you liked that one. It's crazy..Jack is leaving and now Skittery..i wonder how Kandice will take that. And the fight, now that was intense! Ohhh mannn. R&R please_

_And like always heres your hint: What happens before the boys leave…will Kandice and Jack make up! _


	12. One Last Night

Chapter 12

One last night.

Kandice ran past the park and out into the bad streets of Manhattan. She hadn't felt this useless in all her life. Catching her breath, she ran down an alleyway that led to a block of light that was hitting a wall. She turned the corner of the alley to discover a door, with loud yelling and smashing of bottles filling the small space. It smelt of drinking and body odor and Kandice realized she was making a sickened face as she entered. The bartender suddenly realized the small girl was stationed there and he went over to the side of the bar. Kandice sat on one of the lonely chairs sensing the emptiness and sorrow of the past travelers who had come there to resolve their problems.

"Give me the strongest drink you have…please." The bartender smirked, knowing that she was a first-timer, and nodded turning his back to get some rum. He had a vest and black pants on, which seemed like it was a national "bartenders' suit." He was a big man, almost looked like a bouncer. Kandice figured it must be to throw out all of the drunken men that got out of hand. With what seemed like 5 seconds, the bartender came back with a shot of the strongest rum they had, that Kandice had soon gulped down in seconds.

"Another please" she said placing down 5 dollars. The bartender brought another drink, and once again Kandice had finished that within minutes. Three became four or five until Kandice was too drunk to possibly stand. She couldn't see a thing behind the haze that covered her brain and eyes. She squinted, trying to make out the door at the other side of the bar. Stumbling to the door, Kandice remembered why she had come to the bar in the first place, and thinking about it made her depressed. She thought about Jack being mad at her and Skittery's eyes after she had slapped him and her eyes started to well up. With tears racing down her face she managed to find her way back into the alley and stumble out. Before she had gotten to the end, she felt herself falling onto the ground. She tried to hold herself up but managed to hit her head against the brick wall on her way down and black out.

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Whispers were heard in the slightly lit room. Kandice didn't know what was going on, but she could tell the figures were talking about her.

"Well has she woken up yet?" A gruff, deep voice asked. She felt them staring at her but she didn't have the strength to open her eyes.

"No, not yet. She's been out for about 24 hours now." She heard the other voice. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She felt her finger move beneath her and slowly opened her squinting eyes. Both men came into a blurry haze and she could tell one of the men, the familiar one, was Kloppman. Man was she happy to see him. She forced a slight smile and waved with whatever strength she had left.

"And look at this, it's a miracle!" Kloppman chuckled making Kandice let out a small giggle. "You took quite a beatin there." Kandice could feel the bump on her head and she flinched in pain.

"Best get her lying down and ice covering that bump to get the swelling down, she should be fine by tomorrow if she just takes it easy." The small man was scrawny and had glasses that made his eyes look rather large. He had a goofy smile and a long, white coat on.

"Thank you doctor." Kloppman said. Both Kloppman and the doctor walked out of the room, closing the door as they left.

Kandice closed her eyes and maneuvered herself in her bed to get comfortable. Before drifting off to sleep she heard a knock and the door and she figured it would be Kloppman.

"Come in." She weakly called from her paraplegic stance in bed. The door opened slowly, creaking with its old age.

"Hiya Kandice" she turned around to see an uncomfortable Jack with his head down and hands in his pockets. He looked just as she had remembered. She had missed him so much and she was glad that he came to see her. Maybe he felt all of this was her fault.

"Hey" she said softly, taking in account that they were in a fight. "What time is it?"

"Uh, about half past 8...at night. How ya feelin?" He walked a little closer.

"Been better" She said weakly.

"Yeah, I would hope so." He chuckled a little, but then saw she wasn't laughing and cleared his throat, returning to his uncomfortable, serious state.

"Jack, I'm sorry for what I did." She said, before wincing in pain again.

"No, please don apologize. I'm da one who should be apologizin. I shouldna left ya alone like dat. None a dis woulda happened if I didn overreact like I'se did. I'm sorry, Kandice." He walked over to the side of her bed and held her hand softly comforting her. He looked at her sad, pained eyes and was sorry for all he had put her through.

"Jack." Kandice said. She was starting to tear up again. "Jack..I don't want you to leave for war." She looked at him, almost pleading. She, then, slowly lifted herself off the bed and gave him a big hug. The feeling of his arms around her had made her cry even more. She knew she would not feel this for months, maybe even years. "You could never come back. What if I never see you again?" They separated themselves from each other, as hard as it was and Jack placed his hands gently on her shoulders to face him.

"I'll be back. Ya don need ta worry bout me, ok?"

Kandice nodded sadly before hearing a knock at her door, which they both looked at. Skittery was standing there with a surprised expression on his face.

"Hiya Jack." Skittery said, very hesitantly.

Jack looked at Skittery and then looked back at Kandice. Kandice looked at Skittery with sympathy for Jack's behavior, looking at his black eye. "Ill come back." Skittery mouthed before smiling slightly, and walking out the door again.

Kandice knew Jack had beaten Skittery up and decided to confront him about it.

"Jack, where did Skits get that black eye?" She accused like she was in a courtroom questioning a witness in the stand.

"I gave it to im'. He desoived it foah kissin me goil." He said smirking at the situation, like it didn't bother him at all.

"Jack! He is your best friend. What is going on with you!" She argued, sitting up in the bed and getting closer to him.

"So who's side ah ya on anyways. Yoah boyfriend oah Skittery. I'm stahtin ta tink ya don't wanna boyfriend."

"Jack, you know that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying it was wrong of you to hit your best friend and you should have been mad at me, not Skittery."

"Why? He stabbed me in da back. Me own goil!" He started to raise his voice in defense.

"That shouldn't matter. You guys used to be close and now you're fighting because of me. This is stupid."

"He made you get drunk and almost die out dea!"

"Jack! Don't blame this all on him. It wasn't just him, you know, it was a bunch of different things." Kandice yelled, trying to get her point across.

"A bunch a different tings?" Jack mocked as he turned away. He chuckled at the thought of how ridiculous she was being. "Kandice..ah you tellin me you wanted him ta kiss you dat night?'

Kandice stared at Jack for a couple seconds. She was speachless. She couldn't tell Jack she did or he would surely break up with her, and if she said she didn't she would be lying to him and possibly getting into more trouble.

"Well!" Jack grew impatient as he waited for Kandice's expressionless response. "Kandice..I'll find out soonah oah lattah so you might as well tell me now. Say sometin!" Jack screamed louder then he meant to. "Come on, Kandice...Spit it ou-"

"Yes!" Kandice broke down as Jack picked her apart. "Yes! I wanted it. I wanted it, Jack. Are you happy?" She put her head in her hands, bawling.

Jack looked at her in shock. "No. I'm not." He didn't know what to say. Yes, he had questioned her and been mean to her expecting an answer, but he didn't expect _that_ answer . He didn't expect his own girl to backstab him too. The room filled with silence for what seemed like hours. Sobs were the only thing heard for those excruciating moments. Neither of them could look at each other. They couldn't face the eyes of the enemy, or what seemed to be the enemy. Kandice had never felt so bad in her life and she never thought she would feel so bad in her life. Jack had yelled at her, but she deserved it and she knew it. The sound of newsies were heard in the next room, which broke the silence and Kandice looked up from her wet, tear-soaked hands and saw that the room was empty. Jack had left while she was crying, and he hadn't said anything.

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Jack went out the door quietly and walked out into the hallway. He looked down the hall at the emergency window and walked down towards it. He looked out and checked the fire escape making sure no one was there, and opened the window. New York was quieter then usual. There was a peace to it that was almost beautiful. Jack walked over to the edge of the building and lay down, placing his arms beneath him and looking up towards the stars which were so bright and clear that night. Jack took a deep breath and let it out slowly releasing all the tension that was inside him. He thought about a lot of things out there. He thought about how horrible it must have been for Kandice when she blacked out, how scary. He thought about his mother and father. He thought about the other newsboys and the dinner he and Kandice had shared up at that very spot and the night he had asked her out. He took another deep breath before closing his eyes.

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As Kandice sat in the room crying, Skittery came back into the room, holding a telegram with him.

"Hiya Kandice. How ya feelin?" He asked smirking his shy, cute smirk. His face was slightly red and he looked as if he had been crying too.

"I'm feeling ok...how are you?" Kandice looked at Skittery with sadness. He must have been going through a lot what with going to the war and everything. She motioned for him to sit next to her on the bed.

Skittery slowly walked over and sat next to her, holding her hand and rubbing it with his thumb. "You took quite a spill huh?"

"Yeah." Kandice nodded. The room went silent for a couple of seconds before Kandice began talking. "Listen, Skits, im sorry fo-"

"I know." Skittery cut her off. "I know yoah sorry." He pulled her in for a gentle hug. They held each other there for a couple of seconds, grasping each other.

"Skits," Kandice started as they slowly let go of each other. "I'm gonna miss you a lot when you go off to war. I just want you to know that. Ok?" She smiled up at him, while he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Da only good ting I can tink about is when I come back..ill be seein you." He smiled back down at her and she reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, making him turn red. "Whea's Jack?"

"He left." Kandice said whipping her eyes of what tears were left. "God I must look like a mess, huh?"

"Nah, you look poifect." Kandice looked back at him and smiled with the utmost love and affection.

"Thank you Skits...for everything you've been to me." She said looking down at the worn, tired floor.

"Tink nothin of it." He kissed her on the forehead and left the room quietly. "Kandice...I gots somethin foah ya." Skittery took the telegram from behind his back and put it on Kandice's lap. "Its from someone named Mark? Is dat a bruddah oah sometin?"

Kandice stared at the letter. She decided she wouldn't open it until Jack and the Newsies had left. Besides, she didn't want another fight to break out between them, not now.

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That night, the fight between her and Jack played over and over in her head. She couldn't get the screams from ringing in her ears. She knew Jack would never forgive her for what happened. The awful thing about it was, was that he was leaving in the morning, and she had no idea what she would do if he left without saying goodbye or even being mad at her. She looked at a pocket watch her father had given her before he died. It read: 2:05 am. Kandice sighed and plopped back down onto her pillow, starring up at the ceiling of the empty, quiet room. She turned to her side and rubbed her eyes of the cold, wet tears that rolled down them. She could feel the trail on her cheeks and it itched. She sniffled once before hearing her door open again and she turned quickly back around. It was Jack.

"Hi." he murmured quietly and stubbornly.

"Hi." Kandice replied just as stubbornly.

"I came ta tell ya dat..." He stopped and looked down at the ground with his hands in his pockets again. He started shifting his feet, and she could tell he was having a hard time saying what he needed to say. He took a deep sigh and tried again. "I came ta tell ya dat I-"

"Jack..if you're here to yell at me again, I don't wanna hear it, ok?" She turned back around so that she wasn't facing him. Kandice didn't hear anything for another couple minutes and she had wondered if he left. She turned back around and he was gone. The door was slightly ajar and she got up from the bed and tip toed to the door, making it creak as she slipped to the other side, poking her head out to see if he was there. And he was.

"Why'd you leave?" She asked quietly.

"I couldnt find da right woids ta say ta you'se."

"Jack, you can say anything to me. I won't judge you, you know that."

"I'se know." Suddenly, Jack started to get angry and punched the wall beside them, making a big red mark on his hand. Kandice was about to comfort him when he kneeled down. Was he _crying?_ Kandice's face suddenly lightened and she knelt down beside him.

"Jack, whats going on? Your scaring me!" Jack suddenly stood back up making Kandice do the same and looked into her eyes. He _was_ crying! Kandice had never seen him so sad before.

"Kandice...you wanna know whats goin on?" Kandice nodded and Jack stared into her eyes, intensely for a mere moment. "I love you, Kandice. I love you and I don't wanna haveta leave you and go ta dis woah!" He looked at her one last second before taking her chin in his hands and pulling her in for a passionate, aggressive kiss. But this wasn't the same aggressiveness as when they were in the water. This was like a pure, strong love aggressiveness. She kissed him back and he lifted her up onto him, pushing them both into the wall behind her. Her legs were around his waste as they caressed each other.

Jack walked through the half opened door and over to her bed and lowered her on, still kissing her. He started to kiss her neck, making Kandice start to breath heavy and she started to take off Jack's shirt. Jack took Kandice's off in return and started to kiss her chest down to her navel. He, then, moved back up and started to kiss her lips again hungrily. He started to take off his own pants and he threw them to the bottom of the bed. Kandice unbuttoned hers and Jack slid them down her legs as she giggled. He came back up slowly and pecked her lips one last time before asking her the question.

"Are ya ready?" He asked her while looking deeply into her eyes. Kandice smiled and nodded her head, she was so sure of herself now. She loved Jack more then anything in the world, and she wanted nothing more then to move their relationship to the next level.

"I love you." She whispered smiling slightly and swallowing, feeling a little nervous for what was about to happen.

"I love you moah den anytin, Kandice. Please don't foahget dat." He kissed her lips one last time and then put the covers over them.

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Kandice could feel Jack entering inside of her and the feeling was so weird. Jack's face looked comforting and confidant making her feel less nervous. When he slid himself all the way inside of her, she winced with the pain. He was bigger then she had thought and she didn't realize how much this would hurt. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly to relax herself.

"Ah you ok?" Jack asked with worry in his eyes.

Kandice nodded, but she was starting to cry, from the shooting pain that was running up her back.

"Do ya wanna stop?" Jack stopped moving and waited for her answer. At first, Kandice was silent, but she then realized she didn't want this to be with anyone else, and shook her head.

Jack kissed her lips sweetly one last time before continuing once again. This time, when he started up again, it wasn't as painful, but started to feel a little good. Kandice looked down under the covers to see Jack's abs that were flexing as he moved, she placed her hands on his arms as they moved in unison and closed her eyes, but this time with joy and pleasure. As Jack started to move quicker it started to feel really good and Kandice started to moan, letting Jack know she was enjoying it. Kandice had always waited for this to be perfect, and she couldn't have asked for a more perfect guy. Jack started to slow down and was looking into her eyes. She could tell he loved her, and she knew she loved him right back.

"Please don't leave me." Kandice whispered desperately.

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_I hope you all like the revised version. It seemed to flow better for me I don't know about you...but ill be updating regularaly now. I've just been sooooo busy. Thanks for your critiques guys!_


	13. Will You Remember Me?

Chapter 13

Will you Remember Me?

_This is one of my favorite Chapters so far. I loved writing this one. And thank you for the critics. It helped, and im gonna update those couple chapters to make it run more smoothly. Ill tell you when im finished with it so you can tell me how you like the new ones. Enjoy this one. Anddd if it helps enhance the mood, play either your favorite slow song, or a kind of sad song when you read the middle to the end of this chapter, it does something to you. Hehe._

Kandice heard the ruffling of paper and the thumping of bare feet hitting the hardwood floor. Hers eyes slowly opened to see Jack rummaging around the room gathering his things and placing them neatly into his army bag. Kandice watched what would be the last couple of hours she would see her boyfriend and slightly smiled at him frantically looking for his socks. Jack turned with the sound of her snort and made his way toward her bed.

"Hey, yoah awake" Jack said, trying to make everything seem normal.

"Yeah." She giggled again and whipped her eyes with the back of her right hand. She was laughing so hard tears were rolling down her cheeks She took her palm and gently eased it over Jack's cheek. Jack's eyes closed at the touch of her soft skin. "Please don't leave. Let's run away so they can't find us, please Jack."

"Ya know I can't do dat." He looked back and forth between her eyes, then down at her lips before softly kissing them. He started running his fingers gently along her scalp, playing with her soft, silky hair. But ya know what whea gonna do when I get back?" He smiled at her suspenseful, teary-eyed look.

"What!"

"Weah gonna staht a family." Jack waited for her reaction to settle in.

"Oh my goodness! JACK!" Kandice screamed and she hugged him so tightly, Jack thought he was going to choke.

"Listen, Kandice. I love you so much. Since you been hea, I been da happiest guy on earth. I would nevah wanna do anytin ta hoit you. If you don feel dis is right, you can say no, but..." Jack took out a beautifully decorated small box and held it out to Kandice. Kandice opened it to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen. It was a silver band and a diamond right in the middle, with small diamonds on the side. She loved it, just as she loved him with all of her heart. Kandice gasped when she saw the ring and covered her mouth with her hands. Her heart was thumping with joy and nervousness as she knew exactly what he was about to do. He knelt on the hard floor and looked up at her. "Kandice, dis is a promise ring and a soaht of engagement ring. If you take dis, it means you promise to be my goil still when I get back from da woah. It also means maybe you would wanna be my fiancé when I get back?"

His heart was pumping faster then it had in his life and he didn't know why. He knew what she would say, but he wanted her to be his and only his, he didn't know what he would do if she said no. She was everything to him and he couldn't live without her.

Kandice looked at him with her hands still around her mouth and her eyes started to tear up again. She nodded first and then started saying yes over and over. She was completely sure of her choice and she didn't want to live without him either. Jack smiled and hugged her back. He slid the ring across the skin of her ring finger and she looked at it sparkle in the light through the window smiling with pure joy. "Jack!" Kandice yelled all of a sudden, she had just realized how expensive the ring of have been. "How much did this cost!"

"Nuttin. I didn't cost me nuttin cause it was me muddahs. She gave it ta me in her will and wrote ta give it ta a special lady in my life...when I find her. And I tink I have." He smiled at her and gave her one last hug before a changed expression dramatically came over him and he looked at Kandice as if he was remembering her face. She had remembered that face. It was the same face Mary had given her the morning that she was told she had to leave her house and move in with her mother.

"Jacky whats wrong?"

"Jacky? You nevah call me dat. I like it."

"Okay, I'll start calling you Jacky more often." She said while playing with his hair.

"Kandice, I havta go ta woah in bout an hoah." he said keeping his head down. The last thing he could do was look at her while he said this. "I ashoa ya me and Skittery will stick togeddah-"

"You _and_ Skittery! Skittery was drafted too!" Kandice asked frantically.

"Yeah, you'se didn't know?"

"No I didn't know!" Kandice let out a groan and fell back onto her pillow. "First my boyfriend, then my best friend." Her eyes started to tear up again.

"Ya know what. I tink? I tink we should go down to da docks and talk a little befoah I leave. Wouja like dat?" Jack looked at her, trying to get her to stop thinking about it.

* * *

As the two walked down the creaky old stairs they heard the constant hum of a crowd outside. They exchanged glances, and walked out the door. Over 100 Newsies were standing out there from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan all awaiting the signal to walk to the train station. They were chatting and laughing and getting to know one other, since they were, after all, going to be with each other for quite some time. Jack and Kandice started to walk by everyone heading towards the docks when Sam walked to the side of them, not realizing that it was Kandice.

"Sam!" Kandice screamed. They gave each other a big hug while Jack sat watching them, rolling his eyes with impatience. "How are you? What's going on in your life?" Kandice suddenly gasped. "Are you going to the war!"

"No, no no no! I'm hea ta stay hun. Why? Ah you?"

"No, Jack and Skits are going, so I was gonna see them off."

"Yeah same hea. I have a feelin weah gonna be seein a lot moah of each other durin dis whole woah ting." Sam and Kandice both laughed and hugged each other one more time before Kandice saw that Jack was growing impatient. She looked back at Sam and rolled her eyes herself and nodded her head in Jack's direction so Sam would get the point. "Well, ill be seein ya when everyone is leavin. I don't know how I'm going to take it. I'll probably be a big mess."

"We kin be a mess togedda den." The girls started to crack up and waved to each other.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you being so impatient all of a sudden."

" I dunno. Maybe its cause dis is da last time Ill get ta see me goil befoah I leave, and we have only a limited amount of time." Jack said sarcastically.

"Oh come on, party pooper!" She laughed at him, but once she saw the look in Jack's face she started to run as fast as she could towards the docks with him chasing right behind her. Once they were near the waters edge Jack caught up to her and grabbed her pulling her to the ground on top of him. She was cracking up as he tickled her and kissed her neck. When they started to settle down, she was lying next to him, looking out at the water.

"Hey I'se gots an idea." Jack said rubbing the tip of his fingers on her cheek.

"Whats that?"

"Well I had dis idea last night dat we could write how much we love each uddah in a bottle and trow it in da watah wit a rock, and let it sink to da bottom. Whenevah you wanna remembah how much I love ya, you kin look at it, and when I get back, we kin look at it togeda and see if its still da same. I know it will be da same foah me, but I don't know...all dese cute guys around hea." He smiled mischievously and she giggled.

"Oh shut it Jacky." She pushed him with her elbow. "You know I will always love you. And if it changes, it will be because I love you more." She kissed his lips softly and looked at him, studying his face intently.

Jack took a bottle from out of his coat pocket and a piece of paper and a pen.

"Boy your all prepared huh?" Jack slightly blushed and started to write on the piece of paper. "What are you writing?"

"Nona yoah business." He wrote for probably 10 minutes before giving the piece of paper back to Kandice. "Ya can't read it okay?" He said sternly.

"Ok, ok." She defensively answered. She took the pen and wrote on her side of the paper.

_15 May 1930_

_Jack Kelly. What is there to say? He is my everything. I would be lost right now if it weren't for him. Honestly, I don't think I've loved someone as much as I love him. (Except for my dad of course). Last night was so beautiful. We shared something so special and I'm glad it was with him because I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else. We're getting engaged when he comes back, and the ring he gave me is absolutely beautiful, I never want to take it off. Now I can brag to all of my friends! He's so sweet. I don't know what came over me when I kissed Skittery. He is only a friend and I never meant to hurt Jack like I did. If he were to look at this, I would want him to know that I love him more then anything in the world and I will never love anyone more. He is leaving today for war, and I'm cherishing every little second we have left together. Because honestly, it could be months before we see each other again. I'm scared about what may happen out here. I'm terrified, actually. But I'm sure he will come back safe in my arms and we can start a family and be together all the time. I will miss him terribly, and that will never change. He will never know how much I truly love him until he reads this. I love you with all of my heart Jack Kelly._

_Kandice_

Once Kandice was finished she saw the tear drops that had plummeted down from her cheeks onto the sheet. She had been crying with the thought of Jack leaving and she couldn't help it. She rolled the paper up into a little scroll, and tucked it neatly into the bottle. Putting the cork on the top, she gave it back to Jack who kissed her on the cheek and stood up near the edge of the water. He threw the bottle a little ways after tying a rock to the bottom and the bottle floated for a couple seconds, then lowered into the water gently. Jack could see the bubbles rising from the bottle sinking and it reminded him of how he would be gone after today. He turned back around toward Kandice who was crying her eyes out now.

Watching Jack made her realize how much she loved him and she couldn't stand him leaving her like this. "Jack!" She screamed running over to him, "You can't leave! Please don't leave!" She hugged him and put her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating 10 beats per second and she got scared. "Jack What if you die? What if...What if..."

Jack put his finger to her lips to quiet her. "Kandice listen ta me okay?" He said looking her right in her eyes. Her watering, dripping, loving eyes that he could not bare to leave. "Kandice. I'm gonna go ta dis woah an I'm gonna come back, weah gonna get engaged, and have kids, and get oah own house, and live happily evah aftah. I promise" He said calming her. Although he was calming her, he couldn't help my feel nervous himself. What if he did die out there? What if something went wrong and he couldn't come back to her? She wouldn't take it to well.

Kandice looked down and slowly nodded, showing him she understood, but she didn't want to. Her tears ran down her face like rain that ran down a window. She raised herself on her tip toes and kissed him, gently and lovingly. It might have been the longest kiss they had ever given each other because by the time they were finished, it was almost time for Jack to go.

Jack grabbed Kandice's hand and led her back to the lodging house to gather his things and head off.

When they finally reached the house, there seemed to be more newsies out there then before they left. Jack looked around and saw Spot out there talking to some of his Brooklyn newsies.

"Well well well if it isn't da famous Spot Conlon goin off ta woah."

"You too Kelly?" He said smiling.

"Yeh, me too." They spit shook and Jack looked around at the huge crowd, still holding Kandice's hand behind him. "Lotta newsies, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll say." Spot said chuckling. "Hiya Kandice, how ya feelin? I hoid bout yoah little fall. You'se ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm tough." Kandice smiled. "How are you feeling Spot?"

"Eh, could be bettah. Im ready ta go kill some Russians." He laughed loudly with Jack and a couple of Spots friends. Kandice stared at them as if they were pigs.

Suddenly, the Military Sargent came by on his wagon and whistled loudly. "Okay! All Newsboys going to Russia, say goodbye to your loved ones and report to me!"

Jack slowly turned to Kandice. "Well dis is it." He took a deep breath. Kandice hugged him as long as she could, water pouring out of her eyes.

"I love you so much." Kandice whispered in Jacks' ear. "Be careful, and come back to me so we can start a family, ok?"

"I promise." He kissed her several times on her cheek and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I love you." Before he would start to cry, he turned away from her and started walking toward the wagon, but before reaching it, he turned back around and ran over to Kandice, looked in the eyes grabbed the back of her neck, and pulled her in for a kiss. Hoots and Hollers were heard from all the newsies, even Sam was whistling. When they stopped kissing, they just looked at each other for a couple minutes before Skittery came right behind her. His eyes were watering and he was looking right at Kandice saying nothing.

"Oh, Skits." Kandice said going in for a hug, embracing him and loving him as if she were his own family. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened, I didn't mean it to end like that and I _certainly_ didn't want Jack to get mad at yo-"

Skittery cut her off by smiling slightly underneath his tears. "Its ok. Really, I don blame you'se at all. Can you just promise me youll be heah ta great me when i'se gets back?"

"Of course, Skits. I promise." She kissed him on the cheek and rubbed his cheek once before pushing him playfully and lightly towards his other friends. "Now get out of here before I start to _really_ cry." She smiled and waved to him as he walked away with his bag over his back. She then turned back over to Jack who had tears in his eyes, but was trying to hide it from the other newsies.

"Aw..Jacky!" Kandice said. She grabbed Jack for another hug and was comforting him. "You'll be back before you know it okay? And were gonna get engaged remember?" She kissed him lightly on the cheek and wove through his soft hair with her fingers making him smile. " I love you so much" He nodded and turned around trying to toughen himself. She hugged Spot and some of the other newsies before she got back to Jack. He turned back to her and looked at her one more time.

"Hold out yoah hands." He said.

"What?"

"Just hold out yoah hands." Kandice putout both of her hands. "Ok, now close yoah eyes." Kandice did as she was told and closed her eyes. Jack placed both of his hands on hers and held them there for a couple of seconds so that he could remember her touch. He thin took his hands from hers and slid his red bandana inchingly over his head. And tied the bandana around her eyes and waved his hand in front of her face one last time.

"Can you see?" He asked looking at every angle

"No!" She giggled slightly. "What's going on Jack?" She was smiling with intrigue.

Jack didn't answer, but kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

"I love you too." She laughed. "Whats going on? Can I take this off?" She felt around a little. "Jackkkk. Come on." She giggled frantically. "Jack can I take this thing off now?" Her smile started to fade a little when he wasn't answering her. "Jack?" She slowly lifted the bandana to see that Jack along with all of the other newsies, were gone. She slightly smiled out of sadness and her eyes watered. Taking a deep breath she looked at the bandana and brought it to her chest, hugging it like it was Jack.

Suddenly, Sam came over to Kandice's side and put her head on her shoulder and the girls stood in silence. They took a deep breath and then start walking back into the lodging house. As they were walking upstairs, Kandice put her hand in her pocket and felt a piece of paper.

She slowly took it out and opened it. It read:

_I love you, Kandice. Don't you ever forget that. I will be fine. I miss you already._

_I love you so much,_

_Jack. _

Kandice sadly laughed and tucked the note back into her pocket, to read whenever she missed him.

"I love you too" She whispered to herself as the girls went into Kandice's room and closed the door behind them.

* * *

_What a chapter. _I _almost cried writing I hope everyone likes it! What a sad sad day. Jack and Skits AND spot are gone. What's a girl to do. Well at least Kandice has sam now. And the message in the bottle was so cute. I wonder if we'll ever find out what Jack wrote. Maybe it has something in it about who saw her and Skittery up on the roof! Hmmm_

_Hint: The boys have left and it's girl time! Or is it? Someone knew shows up in town, and it will be a major surprise to the girls. _

_-nini_


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